Masters 2026: Defending Champion Shaun Murphy Stunned by Wu Yize, Labels Match One of His Worst Ever

Shaun Murphy’s title defence at the 2026 Masters ended in disappointment as he was eliminated in the first round, losing 6-2 to Chinese prodigy Wu Yize.

The Magician struggled from the outset at Alexandra Palace in London, missing several routine balls in the opening frame, a pattern that persisted throughout the match.

It was a surprising slip from one of this season’s standout performers, having won the 2025 British Open and reached the Xi’an Grand Prix final.

Wu Yize Shows Composure on Debut

While Murphy faltered, Wu’s performance was composed and confident. The 22-year-old produced a brilliant 137 century break en route to his victory, demonstrating maturity beyond his years.

Despite being a Masters debutant, Wu handled the pressure superbly, making the experienced 43-year-old Murphy look the veteran in comparison.

Murphy Reflects on a Poor Performance

Speaking after the match, Murphy admitted it was one of his worst performances, perhaps ever at the Masters.

“I’ve looked forward to today since last year. It was the worst performance of my season, and maybe my worst ever performance at the masters. I’m gutted, very below par, I’m very disappointed,” Murphy said. 

When asked what went wrong, Murphy insisted it wasn’t nerves as defending champion but simply a day where nothing went right.

“It would be easier to list what was there, none of my game was there. Everything I touched went wrong. None of my game performed well, but I’ve got absolutely no idea why."

"I've been working hard on my game, practising hard, playing a lot of snooker since the UK Championship, I didn’t expect to play like that. I’m as shocked as anyone.”

Respect for His Opponent

Even in defeat, Murphy praised Wu’s performance.

“Listen, we all wax lyrical on Wu, he’s not someone you can take lightly. He looked calm, he looked at ease. He’s a wonderful talent; he played really well today. He fully deserved his win, and he’ll be a handful for whoever he plays next,” Murphy added. 

Interestingly, Murphy was the same age as Wu when he lifted the World Championship in 2004, drawing a natural comparison between the two.

"Imagine being that young, and that good,” he joked. 

Looking Ahead

Last year, Murphy beat former world champion Kyren Wilson 10-7 in the Masters final. 

While he won’t reach those heights this season, he plans to take inspiration from Wilson, who bounced back from defeat at this event to win the German Masters.

“I’m going to take inspiration from Kyren Wilson. He was beat here, and then went straight onto Germany and won."

"I’m going to lick my wounds and hopefully try and win that one,” he concluded.