Defending champion Shaun Murphy suffered a stunning first-round exit at the 2026 Masters this afternoon, falling 6-2 to China's Wu Yize at Alexandra Palace.
The 43-year-old Englishman, who lifted the Triple Crown trophy just 12 months ago, saw his title defence crumble on the opening day of the prestigious tournament.
Wu, making his debut at the iconic north London venue, produced a commanding performance to dispatch the two-time Masters winner.
The result marks a remarkable upset at Ally Pally, with Murphy unable to mount any sustained challenge against the 22-year-old Chinese player who controlled proceedings from the outset.
Murphy claimed his first Masters title back in 2015 before securing a second triumph at the tournament last year, defeating Kyren Wilson in the final.
However, the Briton delivered a laboured display against his Chinese opponent on Sunday, with his performance marred by a string of errors.
Wu capitalised ruthlessly on Murphy's mistakes throughout the contest.
The defending champion managed to claim just two frames during the match but failed to produce a single century break.
The match finished 6-2 to China's Wu Yize at Alexandra Palace
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Murphy appeared poised to extend the contest in the closing stages, only for a missed red to hand Wu the opportunity to seal victory.
Wu seized control of the match immediately, racing into a commanding 3-0 advantage before Murphy could find his rhythm.
The world number 13 produced a stunning 137 clearance during the second frame, showcasing the quality that has seen him rise through the rankings.
Despite Murphy pulling one back in frame four, Wu regained momentum by clinching the fifth on the final black.
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Defending champion Shaun Murphy suffered a stunning first-round exit at the 2026 Masters this afternoon
|GETTY
The Chinese youngster added a break of 56 in the seventh frame as he continued to dominate proceedings.
Making his Alexandra Palace bow, Wu demonstrated composure well beyond his years throughout the encounter against the experienced former champion.
Wu arrives at the Masters in impressive form.
The youngster has claimed his maiden ranking title at the International Championship in Yanjing in November.
The result underlines Wu's emergence as a genuine threat at snooker's elite events
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En route to that triumph in his home country, the 22-year-old defeated a trio of world champions in Judd Trump, Zhao Xintong and John Higgins.
His victory over Murphy sets up a quarter-final clash on Thursday.
He will face either the current UK champion Mark Selby or fellow Chinese player Xiao Guodong.
The result underlines Wu's emergence as a genuine threat at snooker's elite events, with his Alexandra Palace debut yielding an impressive scalp in the defending champion.
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