Shaun Murphy 'has a big job on his hands' against 'free and easy' Wu Yize in World Championship final but will 'pressure bite' on Monday?

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Shaun Murphy has a "big job on his hands” to claim his second Crucible crown after falling 10-7 behind to Wu Yize after two sessions of their World Snooker Championship final.

'Magnificent' - Wu pots amazing red and black to help him pinch final frame of night

Video credit: TNT Sports

The opening session was split 4-4, but Wu looked exhausted on the back of his epic win over Mark Allen in the semi-finals late the previous evening.

After a few hours’ rest on Sunday afternoon, Wu looked far sharper and picked off the first two frames of the evening session with breaks of 82 and 103.

The Chinese sensation dominated after the interval on Sunday evening, winning three of the five frames to secure a three-frame cushion heading into Monday afternoon.

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TNT Sports experts Alan McManus and Reanne Evans were hugely impressed with the efforts of Wu as he pulled away.

”The strength of an opponent is making Shaun feel uncomfortable,” three-time Crucible semi-finalist McManus said in the TNT Sports studio.

”Shaun played beautifully to win the final four frames against John [Higgins] last night, but he is playing against someone who...it is like trying to lasso a stag and it just keeps running and you can’t get a hand on it. That’s what it feels like.

”Wu Yize is playing his way, his game, his type of snooker, and Shaun is having no effect on him.

”Shaun has got a big job on his hands tomorrow.”

Wu made runs of 82, 103, 89 and 66, and a 91 in the final frame on Sunday evening saw him pick Murphy’s pocket after the 2005 winner got in first.

Wu’s break was built on a stunning opening red, and McManus was impressed with how he took the pot on with the white tight on the baulk cushion.

'Magnificent' - Wu pots amazing red and black to help him pinch final frame of night

Video credit: TNT Sports

McManus said: ”He’s two in front, last frame of the day, maybe try and nurse it to the line. No, ‘I want more jugular. I want to go for it’. It was brilliant.

”I played that open in practice down the years, not in a match.

"It must be a brilliant feeling to feel that free. Free and easy, fast and loose, and not worry about anything. The other guy knows it as well, and that is difficult to play against.

”The pressure will bite more tomorrow, but he is in a terrific position.”

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Echoing what McManus said, 12-time World Women’s Snooker Championship winner Evans said: ”He has impressed me so much tonight. He started off a bit edgy and I wondered if he had what it takes, but I think it was a hangover [from the Allen game].

”His potting and positional play was fantastic.

”He is just playing to his strengths, knowing what he is capable of, and at the minute it is working.

”If you are not used to playing safety shots, you are going to bamboozle your own mind. Nine times out of 10 he is looking for a pot. He is just so attacking.”

Wu and Murphy will return for session three at 13:00 on Monday.

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