Shaun Murphy was left utterly devastated after falling 18-17 to Wu Yize in a thrilling World Snooker Championship final that went all the way to a deciding frame – the first time that's happened at the Crucible in 24 years.
The 43-year-old, who claimed his only world title back in 2005, has now suffered four defeats from five appearances in the Sheffield showpiece.
"It was a great match, I thought we put on a great show," Murphy said afterwards.
"Wu is one of the most talented players I've ever seen. I'm delighted for him, I'm absolutely heartbroken for me."
Wu Yize beat Shaun Murphy in a pulsating World Championship final
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Despite the crushing loss, the Magician insisted he had no regrets about his performance across 35 frames of what he called "top-flight professional snooker."
Murphy still managed to find some humour amid the heartache, much to the delight of the Crucible crowd.
Speaking to the BBC, he revealed his fiancée Jo Rochell had been hoping for a quick exit so they could sneak off on holiday together.
"You know what she said to me as we came here, 'If it goes wrong, we might sneak away for a couple of weeks. Can we just get away from it all?'" Murphy explained.
"Of course it nearly did go wrong in the very first round. You can make an argument I shouldn't be stood here at all. So I treated Jo to two weeks in Sheffield! Which I'll probably pay for at some stage."
Shaun Murphy's quip over his fiancee cracked the Crucible crowd up
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The quip drew laughs from spectators who had just witnessed one of the greatest finals in the tournament's history.
Wu Yize's triumph made him the second-youngest world champion in history at just 22 years old, with only Stephen Hendry – who was 21 when he lifted the trophy in 1990 – claiming the title at a younger age.
The Chinese star dedicated his victory to his parents, calling them "the true champions."
"Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been by my side. My mum has also been going through a lot over the years, they are the source of my strength, I love them so much," he said.
Wu also admitted to a rather amusing misunderstanding during the tournament – he initially thought the crowd was booing him when they chanted his name.
"At the beginning I had a misunderstanding, I thought they were booing me! But then the staff told me they were cheering me on," he laughed.
Wu would become the second-youngest world champion in history | REUTERSMurphy's run to the final capped off what he described as possibly his best ever season, having already lifted the British Open trophy and reached the semi-finals of the UK Championship.
"Everything is looking positive," he reflected. "I'm back up into the top-end of the rankings from a standing start last season."
The Englishman plans to take a short break before returning to the baize, saying he'll come back "once I've mended my heart."
BBC presenter Hazel Irvine offered a touching tribute as the interview wrapped up: "Shaun can I just say on behalf of everyone you have given us the most tremendous pleasure watching you go about your business here.
"You are a class act whether you win or lose."