Defending champion Shaun Murphy suffered a stunning first-round exit at the Masters snooker tournament, comprehensively beaten 6-2 by China's Wu Yize on the opening day at Alexandra Palace.
Murphy's Title Defence Ends in Disappointment
The 2005 world champion, who entered the tournament as the top seed, endured a "highly unpleasant" experience after a bright start. Murphy's hopes of a successful title defence were dismantled by the world number 13, who dominated from the outset.
Wu Yize seized immediate control, winning the first three frames. He stamped his authority with a superb break of 137 in the second frame, leaving the reigning champion with a mountain to climb. Murphy managed a brief rally but, with a highest break of only 49, he could not sustain a comeback against his in-form opponent.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the match, a despondent Murphy admitted: "I've looked forward to walking out as champion but I enjoyed it for about the first 10 minutes and the rest of the match was highly unpleasant. It's possibly my worst performance of my season."
Selby Succumbs to Chinese Debutant
The shocks continued on a dramatic opening day as four-time world champion Mark Selby was also sent packing. The recent UK Championship winner fell to a 6-2 defeat against another Chinese competitor, debutant Xiao Guodong.
Selby made a disastrous start, scoring a mere 43 points as he lost the first four frames. Although the Leicester potter fought back with impressive breaks of 101 and 76, world number 11 Xiao reclaimed the initiative with a magnificent 118. Xiao held his nerve to complete the victory in the eighth frame, marking a memorable Masters debut.
Alexandra Palace Witnesses a Shifting Landscape
The opening day of the prestigious invitational event at London's Alexandra Palace proved that reputations count for little. The twin triumphs for Wu Yize and Xiao Guodong signal the growing strength and depth of Chinese snooker on the global stage.
With the defending champion and a recent Triple Crown winner eliminated, the tournament is now wide open. The results serve as a stark reminder of the unpredictable and cut-throat nature of top-level snooker, where any player in the elite 16-man field can triumph on their day.
