Ever since the Crucible began hosting the World Snooker Championship, there have been only three finals to reach the final frame. That was until Wu Yize and Shaun Murphy stepped up. In what can only be described as a clash for generations, only one point separated them by the end. Yet, what joined them together was the fact that tax laws stripped them of half of their six-figure prize money.

That is, unfortunately, how the United Kingdom’s tax laws work. It means that Wu Yize, the world champion of the 2026 World Snooker Championships, will only retain 53% of his prize money. The Chinese-born 22-year-old is subject to UK tax regulations after moving to Sheffield in 2016. That is because he registered with Wu Yize Snooker Ltd at a UK address in 2023.

It means that despite earning £500k, the biggest prize pot on the snooker calendar, Yize will lose 47% of it to taxes. He’ll lose £225k in tax deductions to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Furthermore, as per Wales Online, he’ll also lose out on approximately £10,000 to National Insurance contributions.

That’ll leave the youngest ever World Snooker champion with around £265k after deductions. And unfortunately, the same will apply to runner-up Shaun Murphy. The 43-year-old earned £200k for finishing second but will only take home just over £100k instead. Although Murphy knows this well, having been subject to the same shock Yize is going through in 2005.

The then-22-year-old Murphy won his first and only World Snooker Championship in 2005. However, the prize pot during that time was just over £1.1 million. That meant Murphy got £250k for winning the whole tournament, taking home between £130k and £140k after deductions. In fact, any prize money from the tournament, or any tournament, is subject to the same deductions.

As a result, the World Snooker Tour steadily increased the prize pot. It went from £250k in ’05 to £300k in ’14, then crossed the £400k mark in 2017. It has, however, stood steady since 2019, when the winner’s figure rose to £500k.

The total pot has varied over the years, but it has also grown. To put it in perspective, in 2005 the total prize pot was just over £1.1 million, whereas in 2026 it stood at over £2.4 million. It meant that while the figure for the winners remained constant for a few years, the prize money for runner-ups, semi-finalists, and so on was adjusted.

But for Murphy, it represents yet another heartbreaking final result, having lost on three previous occasions before this. That includes the 2021, 2015, and 2009 finals, although the 2026 final is the closest.

Shaun Murphy reflects on losing to Wu Yize in a thrilling encounter

Shaun Murphy entered the Crucible as the favourite to win it all ahead of the final. That’s after the 43-year-old beat not one but two former world champions, including reigning champ Zhao Xintong. The Chinese international fell victim to the “Crucible curse,” and Murphy triumphed in their semi-final (13-10). It set up a clash with another Chinese star, Wu Yize.

However, given that Yize had never won at the venue, Murphy entered as the favourite. Yet, that’s not the way the final proceeded to unravel. Instead, by the time the first session ended, Yize was ahead 13-12, and the 22-year-old continued that trend on Day 2. He kept edging ahead only to watch as Murphy remained unshakeable, continuously making his way back.

Suddenly, Wu Yize faltered, left it all for Shaun Murphy, and he forced a 35th frame, tying the game at 17-17. However, the highly rated Chinese international stepped up once again and showed his mettle to seal the win. It broke Murphy’s heart in the process, but he showed his class, congratulating Yize on the win.

“I’d like to be the first to congratulate Wu Yize and his family, and everyone around him for being a wonderful world champion,” Murphy said as per Wales Online. “I hate being right – I said sometime earlier in the season when we had a great game out in China somewhere, I won that one, but I came out afterwards and said that he would be world champion one day,” he added.

“It’s just a real shame that it was today, but I couldn’t have given it any more, I couldn’t have tried harder.” Yet even in a final decided by the finest of margins, it wasn’t just the table that took something away from both players.