Murphy and Selby Fall in Masters First Round to Chinese

In a stunning opening day at the 2026 Masters snooker tournament, defending champion Shaun Murphy and three-time winner Mark Selby both suffered first-round defeats to Chinese debutants at Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday.

Murphy, who claimed the title last year by defeating Kyren Wilson 10-7 in the final, fell 6-2 to 22-year-old world number 13 Wu Yize. Wu seized control early, winning the first three frames with a highlight being a 137 clearance in the second. Although Murphy responded to take the fourth frame, he could not mount a sustained comeback, losing the fifth on a black-ball finish. His highest break of the match was just 49, reflecting a performance he described as deeply subpar.

Speaking to the BBC afterward, Murphy expressed profound disappointment. "I've looked forward to today for about a year, walking out as champion," he said. "I enjoyed about the first ten minutes of it, and the rest of the match was highly unpleasant. I didn't play well at all. It's possibly the worst performance of my season, and perhaps even in my history of playing at the Masters." He added that none of his game elements functioned as expected, despite intensive practice leading into...