Wu Yize made history on May 5 by defeating Shaun Murphy in the World Snooker Championship final, becoming the second-youngest winner at the Crucible at 22 years and 203 days—just behind Stephen Hendry’s record of 21 years and 105 days. Notably, Murphy previously held that record after winning at age 22 in 2005.
After the match, Wu said, “I was driven by a deep belief. I’ve always wanted this world title, and nobody wanted it more than me. I lived the same routine for a month, ready to give everything.”
He also expressed gratitude to his parents: “Thank you, Mom and Dad—you are the true champions. Ever since I left school as a child, my father has been by my side, and my mother has endured so much. They are my eternal inspiration.”
When asked about celebration plans, Wu replied, “I just want a good night’s sleep. Since the second stage of the tournament, I’ve been anxious every day. That’s all I crave.”
Last year, Zhao Xintong defeated Mark Williams to become the first Chinese and Asian winner of the World Championship. Now, Wu Yize has made it two in a row for China. Ding Junhui posted after the match: “Congratulations to Wu Yize on winning the 2026 World Snooker Championship! I’m happy for you and proud of Chinese snooker. From Zhao Xintong to Wu Yize, Chinese players have topped the podium for two consecutive years. This isn’t just a breakthrough—it’s the arrival of our era.”
Chelsea Suffer Sixth Straight Premier League Loss
On May 5, Chelsea lost 1-3 to Nottingham Forest in Matchday 35 of the Premier League, extending their losing streak to six games and dropping to ninth place in the standings.
Forest took the lead in the second minute when Baccawa crossed from the right past Cucurella, and Awoniyi headed in at the far post. In the 15th minute, Gusto was penalized for a foul in the box after a VAR review, and Igor Jesus converted the penalty to make it 2-0. Just before halftime, a corner from Chelsea led to a collision between McCarty and Chelsea’s 18-year-old Derry, with the referee awarding a penalty after a lengthy delay for medical treatment. Palmer stepped up but saw his spot-kick saved by Sels.
In the 52nd minute, Morgan Gibbs-White drove down the right and crossed for Awoniyi to tap into an empty net, making it 3-0 after VAR confirmation. Chelsea pulled one back in stoppage time when Cucurella headed a cross from the right, and Joao Pedro scored with an overhead kick, but the goal was initially ruled offside before being allowed after VAR check—final score 1-3.
Forest goalkeeper Sels said after the match: “That save before halftime was crucial. Chelsea were starting to find their rhythm, and I’m glad I could help the team. This win means a lot. Three games left, nothing is decided yet, but we’re close.”
Joao Pedro, who scored Chelsea’s only goal, commented: “We need to stop making the same mistakes every game. This is the Premier League. Conceding early makes it very difficult. Everyone has to look at themselves, including me. I feel sorry for the fans. Starting tomorrow, we’ll see where we can improve.”
Chelsea interim manager McFarland said: “We were nowhere near our level in the first 15 minutes. Conceding early caught us off guard, and we never recovered. That first goal came from a 3-on-1 at the far post—we knew they target that area, we knew their striker likes to attack it, and we didn’t defend it well. Very disappointing.”
Man City Held to 3-3 Draw by Everton, Loses Control of Title Race
On May 5, City drew 3-3 with Everton at Goodison Park. With 71 points and a game in hand, City now trail league leaders Arsenal by five points.
City took the lead in the 43rd minute when a sustained attack saw Sheerky set up Doku who curled a shot from the edge of the box. Keane was booked for a heavy challenge on Doku later, but VAR did not upgrade it. In the 68th minute, Gueye’s backpass error gifted the ball to Barry, who equalized for Everton. Seven minutes later, a corner from the left saw O’Brien head home, with Donnarumma booked for protesting a possible foul. Barry then scored his second in the 81st minute from a counter-attack, putting Everton 3-1 up. City quickly responded as Kovacic sent Haaland through on goal to make it 3-2 in the 83rd minute. Deep into stoppage time, a corner dropped to Doku who cut inside and curled home his second goal for the equalizer.
City have now gone 18 Premier League games unbeaten against Everton (14 wins, 4 draws). Everton’s two-goal hero Thierno Barry said: “While on the bench, I watched City’s tactics and noticed they played a high press. So I knew if we won the ball back, we could counter. That was their weakness.”
Pep Guardiola commented: “A point is better than nothing, but we needed a win. A lot happened in the game. Given how tough and aggressive the opponent was, I think we held on. All three goals were brilliant, and we take a point. I knew control was in our hands; now it depends on Arsenal. If they win all their games, the title is theirs. So we just need to win our next one.”
Arsenal now hold the destiny of the Premier League title, requiring wins over West Ham, Burnley, and Crystal Palace to claim their first league crown since 2003-04.
Anthony Edwards Expected to Return for Game 1
According to Shams Charania, Anthony Edwards is expected to play in Game 1 of the Western Conference
