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Wu Yize wins title
Wu Yize beat Shaun Murphy 18-17 in a World Snooker Championship final at the Crucible, sealing the match with a break of 85 in the deciding frame.
“Wu Yize became the second-youngest player to be crowned a Crucible champion, defeating Shaun Murphy 18-17”
The BBC said Wu became the second-youngest player to be crowned a Crucible champion, defeating Murphy 18-17 in a “compelling World Championship final,” and described it as the first final-frame decider since Peter Ebdon beat Stephen Hendry in 2002.
The Sun reported “WU YIZE has WON the World Championship” in a “thrilling final frame decider” against Murphy, and said the 22-year-old would take home £500,000.
ESPN also said Wu held his nerve to sink Murphy in a deciding-frame shoot-out and be crowned world snooker champion after a final for the ages at the Crucible, with Wu’s match-winning break of 85 to win 18-17.
The Independent likewise said Wu Yize beat Murphy 18-17 in the “most remarkable World Snooker Championship final” to become “just the second Chinese world champion in history” and the second-youngest winner at the Crucible.
Multiple outlets tied the finish to a missed chance earlier in the match: the BBC said Wu failed to knock in “a simple back off its spot when glory beckoned in the penultimate frame,” allowing Murphy to force a 35th frame with a run of 75, before Wu sealed the historic win with 85.
How the match swung
The final’s momentum shifted repeatedly, with Wu and Murphy trading leads and breaks across the sessions.
The BBC said that after resuming at 13-12 up, Wu opened with a break of 88 and then enjoyed runs of 70, 56 and 91, while Murphy countered with breaks of 82, 65, and a “sublime 131.”
ESPN described a similar pattern, saying Wu was repeatedly pegged back by Murphy, missed a black off its spot that would have got him over the line in the previous frame, and then Murphy cleared to get the first chance in the decider before Wu stepped up again.
The Irish Independent and ESPN both emphasized the deciding-frame pressure, with the Irish Independent stating Wu “produced a match-winning break of 85 to win 18-17” and describing Murphy as looking to seal his second crown “21 years after his first.”
The Guardian’s live blog framing highlighted the pressure and the crowd, quoting Wu on the misunderstanding about booing and cheering: “At the beginning, I had a misunderstanding, I thought people were booing me,” before adding that “the staff told me they were cheering me up.”
Flashscore’s live account gave a session-by-session snapshot, saying after eight frames the score was 4-4, that Wu led 3-0 after three frames, and that Murphy then erased the deficit with breaks of 80 and 98, including a first century break (109) of the final.
Wu and Murphy speak
After the final, Wu Yize and Shaun Murphy both spoke about what the win and loss meant, with repeated emphasis on family and pressure.
“I have been trying to go for this for ages”
The BBC quoted Wu saying, “I have been trying to go for this for ages,” and added that “For the past few months, I have been living the same life. I am so happy that I could play well today.”
The BBC also recorded Wu’s tribute to his parents, including the line “My parents are the true champions,” and said Wu added, “Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been by my side.”
The Independent and The Mirror both carried Wu’s post-match remarks through a translator, with The Independent quoting Wu: “My parents are the true champions,” and “Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been by my side.”
The Mirror included Murphy’s warm congratulations and his own reflection on the season, quoting him: “I’d like to be the first to congratulate Wu Yize and his family, and everyone around him for being a wonderful world champion.”
ESPN also quoted Murphy’s view of the match, saying he told reporters, “It was a great match and I thought we put on a great show,” and that he “hate[s] being right” because he had predicted Wu would be world champion.
China’s breakthrough and legacy
Several reports placed Wu’s victory in a broader narrative about China’s rise in snooker and the history of Chinese champions.
The Independent said Wu became “just the second Chinese world champion in history” and noted that the result came “12 months of from Zhao Xintong becoming the first Chinese world champion.”
ESPN similarly said Wu’s victory was the second in succession from China after last year’s triumph by Zhao Xintong, and it described Wu as the second youngest champion of the modern era.
The BBC said Wu followed in the footsteps of compatriot Zhao Xintong, who was China’s first ever winner in 2025, and it also said Wu sits only behind Stephen Hendry, who was 21 when he triumphed for the first time in 1990.
The myMotherLode report said Wu became snooker’s second straight world champion from China after beating Shaun Murphy at the Crucible Theatre on Monday, and it stated that Wu’s 18-17 victory made him the second-youngest winner of the worlds after Stephen Hendry at age 21 in 1990.
The myMotherLode report also quoted Steve Davis on China getting back-to-back winners, saying “All of a sudden, the floodgates have opened,” and that “The style in which they are playing is the benchmark for the European and British players to come.”
Different outlets, different emphases
While all the reports converge on the central result—Wu Yize beating Shaun Murphy 18-17 with a break of 85—each outlet foregrounded different details, from live scoring to prize money and even off-table context.
“Our champion Wu Yize will take home a whopping £500,000”
The Sun led with the headline framing and prize, saying Wu would take home “£500,000” and describing the match as “thrilling,” while also including a live-style sequence such as “Shaun Murphy 17-17 Wu Yize - deciding frame.”
The BBC emphasized the match’s structure and historical timing, saying it was “the first final-frame decider since Peter Ebdon beat Stephen Hendry in 2002,” and it described the Crucible as “its spiritual home in 1977.”
ESPN leaned into the drama of missed balls and the narrative arc of Wu’s path, saying Wu’s victory “completed a remarkable story that started when he arrived the UK six years ago with his father,” and it included Murphy’s quotes about the match and his prediction.
The Times combined the on-table finish with a broader tournament context, stating Wu pocketed £500,000 and then adding that the fortnight had been “what with OnlyFans pitch invaders, Epstein files protesters and multiple mobile phone interruptions,” while still returning to the final-frame pressure and Wu’s “fantastic break of 85.”
The Guardian’s live blog, by contrast, used a conversational tone and focused on Wu’s exchanges with the interviewer and the crowd, quoting Wu’s “At the beginning, I had a misunderstanding” and describing the moment he “kisses the silver lady” and “poses for photos with his parents.”
