Shaun Murphy makes heartbreaking admission weeks on from World Snooker Championship final defeat

Wu ended up reigning supreme, however, with the 22-year-old eventually triumphing 18-17 to etch his name into the history books.

It was an agonising defeat for Murphy, who missed out on World Championship glory 21 years on from his remarkable win in the same event.

Now, speaking exclusively to GB News, Murphy has reflected on that loss and heartbreakingly admitted that he's still struggling to come to terms with it.

"To be honest with you, I'm not sure I'm over it yet," he said. "I'm not sure I'm over any of the world final losses.

"I think anyone who's done it will tell you that that match is the hardest match to lose because you grow up as a child wanting to be world champion at the Crucible.

"So to play that match and lose it is utterly devastating. I'm grateful that I've been through it and won it."

At first in the final, it looked as though Wu would run away with things.

Yet Murphy, 42, summoned some of his usual magic to fight his way back into contention.

When asked what was key to the turnaround, he added: I think I just tried to use a bit of experience.

"You know, that match is a long match. It's four sessions, two days. It's kind of tortoise and hare, really, to some degree.

"And I think if you can just keep in touch with your opponent and don't let them build up too big a lead, then the match is always on come the last session.

"I just knew that 18 is a long way away. And of course, my opponent, well, he's never played a match of that length before in his career.

"So I'm not sure I had the advantage, but I certainly knew how long the match that was going to be.

"There were peaks and troughs, you have little flat spots in it, little moments of adrenaline rushes and, as I say, flat spots during the match where nothing much is really happening.

"It's all about concentration, keeping your focus for a long period of time and just hoping that when it all comes down to it, you're in the mix at the end."

Wu's triumph came just 12 months after Zhao Xintong's World Championship triumph.

It means that China have now had back-to-back winners, at a time when the sport is growing in the Far East more than ever.

Murphy says he loves playing over there, but insists the UK will always be his favourite place to pick up his cue.

"I've got favourites all over the place, I mean the UK will always be my favourite I suppose, now especially with the announcement that the World Championship will stay here until 2045," he admitted.

"Also, not forgetting all the other great events we have here, the UK Championship, Masters, all the rest of it.

"It's amazing to see how popular it is out there and back-to-back Chinese world champions hasn't hurt that at all either.

"Commercially, the game is flying out in the Far East. And we're seeing the effects on that.

"We've got the China Open returning to the calendar this season, new events being announced all the time. It really is a great time to be a snooker player and whilst the opportunities are there, I think we'll all still be going."