Masters Chaos: Murphy, Selby and Williams Crash Out as Snooker Elite Stunned
It was a dramatic and shock-laden opening at The Masters as the tournament was blown wide open by a string of high-profile exits in London. Defending champion Shaun Murphy and three-time winner Mark Selby were both sent crashing out on day one, setting the tone for what has already become one of the most unpredictable editions in recent memory.
Murphy’s title defence unravelled quickly as he was outplayed 6–2 by Wu Yize, while Selby suffered an identical scoreline defeat at the hands of Xiao Guodong. The Chinese pair showed far greater sharpness and composure, capitalising on uncharacteristic errors from their more decorated opponents. Both Englishmen struggled to find rhythm, never truly settling into the contest as their challengers seized control early.
The shocks did not stop there. The top half of the draw was already disrupted by Ronnie O’Sullivan’s late withdrawal, with Chris Wakelin drafted in at the eleventh hour, and further drama followed in the bottom half. Mark Williams, another former Masters champion, was unable to halt the growing trend as he too bowed out, losing to Mark Allen in a scrappy encounter that failed to ignite. Williams never reached top gear, and his early exit only added to the sense that the tournament’s established order is being dismantled.
Elsewhere, Gary Wilson and Zhao Xintong contested a tense battle, but the overriding narrative of the opening rounds has been the subdued performances of some of snooker’s biggest names. As one social media user, Mr Abenga, summed up bluntly: “It’s fair to say there’s really not been a good match yet. Murphy, Selby and Williams very poor.”
With so many favourites already gone and confidence flowing among the challengers, The Masters is wide open. What was expected to be a showcase of elite quality has instead become a warning — reputation alone will count for nothing this week.
