Wu Yize Claims 2026 World Snooker Championship in Dramatic Crucible Decider

SHEFFIELD — In a thrilling final that went down to the absolute wire, 22-year-old Chinese sensation Wu Yize defeated 2005 winner Shaun Murphy 18-17 to claim his first World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre.

The match was a rollercoaster of momentum swings across its four sessions, culminating in the first World Championship final to be settled in a deciding frame since 2002. Under immense pressure, Wu displayed remarkable composure, stringing together a nerveless break of 85 in the 35th and final frame to secure the ultimate prize in snooker.

With this historic victory, Wu becomes the second-youngest World Champion in the sport’s history, trailing only Stephen Hendry, who won his first title at 21. Furthermore, Wu’s triumph marks back-to-back world titles for China, following his compatriot Zhao Xintong’s breakthrough win in 2025.

The final was tightly contested from the beginning. The opening session ended tied at 4-4, but Wu managed to build a 10-7 lead heading into the second day, aided by a barrage of long potting and century breaks. The veteran Murphy, however, mounted a spirited comeback in the third session, reeling off five consecutive frames to flip the script and take a 12-10 lead.

Refusing to buckle under the Crucible pressure, the young Chinese star fought back to take a narrow 13-12 lead into the evening session. The two players relentlessly traded blows down the stretch. Murphy produced the highest break of the final—a brilliant 131 in the 32nd frame—to level the match at 16-16. After swapping the next two frames, the marathon battle reached its inevitable, dramatic conclusion: a winner-take-all deciding frame.

After Murphy failed to capitalize on an early opening in the final frame, Wu stepped up and delivered a stunning 85-point break, clinching the £500,000 top prize and etching his name into snooker history.

Speaking through a translator after his victory, an emotional Wu dedicated the win to his parents, who moved to Sheffield with him when he was 16 to support his career. “They are the true champions,” Wu said. “My father has always been by my side, and my mother went through ups and downs in these years. They are and always will be my motivation.”

A gracious Shaun Murphy, who has now finished as runner-up four times since his lone world title win 21 years ago, was quick to praise his opponent. “I hate being right—earlier this season I said he would be world champion one day. It’s just a shame it is today!” joked the Englishman. “I couldn’t have tried harder. I played the best shots I could have played and I didn’t get my chance.”

Wu’s victory not only confirms his arrival as a dominant force in snooker but also cements China’s rapidly growing powerhouse status at the absolute pinnacle of the sport.