New Crucible champ Wu wins on return to set up world final repeat at Shanghai Masters snooker

Playing his first competitive match of the new professional snooker season since his memorable world championship triumph at the Crucible in early May, Wu Yize defeated Chinese compatriot Si Jiahui, 6-2, to reach the quarter-finals in Shanghai.

Breaks of 60 and 64 helped Wu to a 2-0 lead before also taking frame three to go halfway to the winning target.

World number 16 Si - who saw off Pang Junxu in the first/preliminary round - responded with frames either side of the mid-session interval (54 break, frame four) to get a foothold, but was unable to sustain a charge as Wu stepped up the scoring in ferocious fashion, compiling runs of 108, 140, and then 140 again for three-in-a-row and to progress in the £825,000 invitational.

Having lost in the opening round in 2019 as an amateur wildcard, and last year as a member of the world’s top 32, this is Wu’s first match victory at the Shanghai Masters.

Wu sets up a blockbuster quarter-final meeting with Shaun Murphy in what will be a rerun of their Crucible classic, deciding frame final from just a few months ago. Earlier in the day, Murphy ousted Zhou Yuelong by the odd frame to advance.

‘The Magician’ went 2-1 up, but then lost frames he was ahead in, either side of the interval. Zhou - conqueror of Mark Selby in the previous round - then moved 4-2 ahead with the aid of a 68 in frame six.

Murphy - in his first top-flight assignment since Sheffield - replied with efforts of 57 and 79 before nudging in front at 5-4, although Zhou (65 break) sent the game to the limit.

However, Murphy got the job done in the decider and kept his hopes alive of this year’s Shanghai crown; he is a two-time runner-up in this competition with final appearances in 2019 and 2024.

Back to back 140 breaks for free-scoring Zhao Xintong

Like Wu - the player who has succeeded him as the champion of the world - Zhao Xintong was in brilliant scoring nick during the second half of his first outing in this year’s tournament.

In a clash between two Chinese snooker icons on home soil, world number three Zhao took the opening frame against Ding Junhui on the final black after a run of 56, and then doubled his lead with a 90.

Last season’s most prolific century break-maker Zhao (51 break) then pipped another frame on the final ball before contributions of 112 and 100 in consecutive frames saw him move 5-0 in front.

Ding avoided the whitewash with a 103, and then went close to a maximum break in the seventh, sinking 14 reds with blacks before landing awkwardly on the final red and failing to pot a difficult one into the green pocket on 112.

Zhao extinguished any thoughts of an almighty Ding comeback, though, with a 101 in frame eight to get over the line as a 6-2 victor. The effort meant that there were five tons in the last five frames of the contest. The reigning World Grand Prix, Players Championship, and Tour Championship title holder faces Neil Robertson in the last eight.

The other cueist to secure a quarter-final spot on day three at the Luwan Indoor Stadium was John Higgins who denied Jack Lisowski by the barest of margins.

The opening four frames were traded before Higgins went 4-2 up after the break. A 94 from Lisowski (the highest of the tie at that point) reduced the gap to one, but Higgins reached the hill with frame eight.

With his back to the wall, Lisowski constructed runs of 123 and 109 to force a dramatic deciding frame that Higgins looked to be in control of.

However, Lisowski hung on, but accidentally fluked the final red meaning he had to pot a pressure green otherwise he needed a snooker. ‘Jackpot’ dealt with it, potted a yellow along a side cushion, later dispatched a long blue, and tried to dislodge the black off the top cushion whilst sinking the pink.

He moved the black, but not into an ideal position. Lisowski still went for it into the yellow pocket, missed it, and watched the black go towards the green pocket. From distance, Higgins handled the pressure to pot it for the win.

2012 Shanghai Masters champion Higgins will face world number one Judd Trump in the last eight on Thursday.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 Shanghai Masters snooker invitational, visit our tournament information centre here.