Wu seizes lead in World Snooker Championship final against Murphy

The 22-year-old’s superb long potting and composed break-building ensured he would go into Monday’s deciding sessions in pole position to lift the trophy for the first time.

Wu’s clearance of 91 in the last frame of Sunday’s action kept 2005 winner Murphy at bay after he threatened to close the gap to one frame.

Wu is aiming to become the second Chinese player to win the title at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre after Zhao Xintong’s historic victory over Mark Williams in last year’s final.

He needs to win eight more frames to secure the silverware in his maiden World Championship final.

The drama on the baize was mirrored in the arena with a female spectator thrown out by security officials after shouting out and apparently trying to invade the stage midway through the third frame of the match.

Frequent phone interruptions irritated England’s Murphy, leading referee Rob Spencer to admonish the audience at the start of each session.

Wu stepped up a gear after appearing to show some ill-effects from his late-night semi-final win over Mark Allen when the final began on Sunday afternoon, letting a hard-earned 3-0 lead dissolve into a 4-4 tie after the first eight frames.

He was suddenly looking fragile, missing easy shots and reluctant to go for his trademark long pots, and the experienced Murphy sensed weakness, powering in the first century of the final to extend Wu’s frustration.

The Chinese player rallied in the afternoon’s final frame, firing nine reds and eight blacks before jawing a black to the middle pocket and riding his luck as Murphy’s protracted search for snookers came to nothing.

Wu, bidding to become the second youngest player to win the tournament after Stephen Hendry, got back on track in the evening session.

Breaks of 82 and 103 saw him establish a 6-4 lead, and he retained his two-frame advantage at the interval after cancelling out Murphy’s well-taken response of 75 in the 11th frame.

Murphy fashioned a strong chance to escape the evening just one adrift, but played a poor shot after taking a lead of 39, allowing Wu to ram in another long red as he established a potentially decisive lead in the final.