Wu Survives Murphy Scare to Set Up Trump Showdown in Shanghai
A Champion's Nerve, Tested to Its Limits
There was a moment in the deciding frame when it looked as though Shaun Murphy had done enough. Leading 62-29, the Englishman leaned over the table, lined up what should have been a routine red, and missed. The Shanghai Masters crowd barely had time to process what had happened before Wu Yize was out of his chair, chalk in hand, composure restored — and within moments, the world champion had cleared the black to seal one of the more nervy victories you'll see from a player of his standing.
The final scoreline of 6-5 tells you almost everything you need to know about a third-round encounter that never quite found the quality either player is capable of, yet never once lost its grip on the watching audience. This was, after all, the first time these two had shared a table since Wu's breathless World Championship final victory over Murphy back in May — a match that went the distance and left both men knowing exactly what the other is capable of.
Familiar Faces, Familiar Drama
Wu, just 22 years old and already ranked fourth in the world, had actually started the brighter of the two, opening up a 3-1 lead that suggested he might cruise through. But Murphy, a former world champion himself with more than two decades of professional experience behind him, refused to be put to the sword. The Englishman clawed his way back to lead 5-4, and with the momentum shifting decisively in his favour, Wu looked like a man in need of something to hold onto.
What he found was his cue ball. A fifth break of 50-plus in the match — his fifth, which in itself speaks to a player who was never truly absent, even when the scoreboard suggested otherwise — levelled things at 5-5 and forced the decider. What followed was tense, scrappy, and utterly compelling. Murphy's miss on the red at 62-29 up was the kind of moment that haunts a player, and Wu was ruthless enough to make him pay.
Speaking afterwards, Wu was refreshingly candid about his own performance. "Although the result was good and I managed to win the match, I never really took control of it," he admitted. "I definitely made a lot of mistakes that I shouldn't have made. To be honest, I didn't expect to get another chance in the deciding frame, and I was quite surprised when Shaun missed and let me in."
He was equally generous in his assessment of the match's overall quality: "I don't think either of us played particularly well today. It wasn't as high a standard as the match we produced in the World Championship final." That's a fair verdict, though it's worth remembering that even an off-day for the world number four is enough to see off one of the most experienced campaigners on the tour.
Trump Waits in the Last Four
Wu's reward for surviving is a semi-final against Judd Trump, who sent a very different kind of message on his own route through the draw. The Bristol man was merciless against John Higgins, winning 6-0 and capping the match with three consecutive century breaks in the final three frames. It was the sort of performance that serves as a reminder of just how devastating Trump can be when everything clicks — and Wu will need to find considerably more consistency than he showed against Murphy if he is to advance.
The other side of the draw produced its own compelling narrative. Defending champion Kyren Wilson looked to be heading for an early exit when he found himself 5-3 down against three-time world champion Mark Williams. But Wilson, who knows better than most how to dig deep in Shanghai — he lifted the trophy here twelve months ago — reeled off breaks of 61, 54, and a match-clinching 113 to complete a remarkable turnaround and win the deciding frame.
Wilson will now face Zhao Xintong, the 2025 world champion, in a repeat of last year's semi-final — a match Wilson won 10-5 on his way to the title. Zhao had given little away in his own quarter-final, crushing Neil Robertson 6-0, with a highest break of 117, in the kind of dominant display that made the Australian look like a man who'd rather be anywhere else.
Shanghai Sets Up a Mouthwatering Finale
Four players remain, and the pairings could scarcely be more intriguing. Wu against Trump is a generational collision between two of the most gifted potters in the modern game. Wilson against Zhao is a rematch with unfinished business and a trophy at stake. If the semi-finals produce even half the drama of what's come before them, Shanghai is about to deliver something to remember.
Wu, for his part, knows he'll need to be sharper. "Hopefully I can find my rhythm and get back to my best in the next match as I prepare for the semi-finals," he said. Judging by the level Trump produced against Higgins, rhythm won't be optional — it'll be essential.
