China’s Wu Yize holds a commanding 10-7 lead over England’s Shaun Murphy after the opening day of the World Snooker Championship final in Sheffield.
The 35-frame match, played over two days in four sessions, saw the first session on May 3 end in a 4-4 deadlock. However, Wu found his rhythm in the evening session, winning consecutive frames with breaks of 82 and 103 to seize the initiative.
Murphy fought back with a 72 break to reduce the deficit, but Wu’s long-potting proved devastating. The 22-year-old Chinese star delivered consistent quality, adding breaks of 89 and 66 to establish a 9-6 advantage. Although Murphy pulled one back in the 16th frame, Wu responded with a superb 91 break in the final frame of the night, securing a three-frame cushion heading into the second day.
Former world champions Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis, who were providing commentary, described Wu’s performance as “astonishing,” noting that while the match is far from over and Murphy still has opportunities to fight back, Wu’s attacking prowess is putting immense pressure on all opponents.
If Wu goes on to win the title, he would become the second-youngest world champion in Crucible history, behind only Hendry, who won in 1990 at age 21. The final resumes on May 4 with the remaining sessions.
