Shaun Murphy Archives

‘Declare your loyalty’ – Murphy issues warning to potential breakaway snooker players

April 28, 2024

Shaun Murphy has warned “be careful what you wish for” as he said any snooker players who join a breakaway tour should not be permitted to play in the sport’s biggest events, including the World Championship.

There have been rumours of players being lured away from the World Snooker Tour (WST) to compete on a breakaway circuit.

“I’ve not been approached by anybody, I don’t know anything about it and nobody has rung me. I’ve got no interest in it,” he added.

“I’m led to believe some players have signed NDAs (non-disclosure agreements). I heard my name mentioned with people saying I’ve signed an NDA but I haven’t. I will finish this season and will look to return to the tour next season.”

“I was pleased to see Judd nail his colours to the mast. I’ve seen comments from players saying they have to make choices for their families. These players have taken and taken from the sport and they want to take even more and good luck to them.

“It’s a shame they’ve not considered putting a bit more back into a tour that’s given them so much before they run away.”

Murphy, who is on the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) players board, said talk of a breakaway tour at the moment is “all rumour and hearsay”.

But he said if it does develop further then players should have to “stick your flag in the ground and declare your loyalty”.

“They can play on the WST in major Triple Crown [World Championship, Masters and UK Championship] events with the history and prestige that Judd talks about or they can play on a new tour with an unknown backer and people we don’t know.

“How long will this pot of money last for? It’s a case of be careful what you wish for.

“I wouldn’t like a situation where players can go off and then come back to the Triple Crown events. I don’t think that should happen. You stick your flag in the ground and declare your loyalty somewhere.

“Players want the independence to play where they want when they want and I really do understand that. I’m not sure you can have your cake and eat it.”

Maguire said after beating Murphy that “something is happening in the background” and his “ears are always open”.

Stephen Maguire celebrates breating Shaun Murphy

Image credit: Getty Images

“I’m only hearing it from other players and I think it’s good if someone else is interested,” he said.

“Some of the numbers that are getting thrown around, it’s interesting. My ears are always open, I’m always listening, always looking. I’ve not been approached but my door is always open.

“If there’s another opportunity that does not mean Barnsley or Leicester I would seriously think about it. If there was a few years’ guarantee, why not?”.

“Something is happening in the background. I’m not on social media so don’t really hear things, unless people say ‘Stevie, this is what’s happening’. I’m looking and listening. My phone is always on.”

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O’Sullivan gains two-frame advantage over Day, Maguire reaches quarter-finals

April 28, 2024

Ronnie O’Sullivan will take a two-frame advantage over Ryan Day into this evening’s session at the World Snooker Championship, having gone 5-3 up at the conclusion of the Sunday morning session at the Crucible.

O’Sullivan, who is seeking a record-breaking eighth world title, thrashed Jackson Page 10-1 to set up the encounter against Day, who had got past Barry Hawkins 10-8.

Day got off to a positive start, but missed a routine red after 16 points. It took just seven minutes for O’Sullivan to capitalise on this mistake, wrapping up the first frame with a flawless 123 clearance.

It appeared as if the world No. 1 would be heading for back-to-back centuries in the second frame, but he missed the penultimate red to end his break on 84.

Despite trailing 2-0, Day battled back before the mid-session interval. In an error-strewn third frame for both players, the world No. 18 finally got on the board.

O’Sullivan looked out of sorts again in the fourth frame, with Day capitalising on a missed red to bring the encounter level.

‘How intimidating it must be…’ – O’Sullivan breezes to break of 84 against Day

After returning from a brief break, O’Sullivan took the lead with a break of 83. He then raced to 51 in the sixth frame, but missed a red to give Day a chance on the table.

His opponent squandered his chance, however, and O’Sullivan added 36 to restore his two-frame advantage.

Still Day did not give up, making one of the centuries of the tournament so far with a superb 115 clearance.

O’Sullivan responded with his own dominant performance, securing a 92 break to take a 5-3 lead into this evening’s session.

O’Sullivan superbly sinks long last red as he takes fifth frame against Day

Meanwhile, Stephen Maguire beat Shaun Murphy 13-9 to set up a quarter-final tie against David Gilbert.

Maguire had a 10-6 lead heading into this morning’s session, needing just three frames to progress.

It was a scrappy start to the 17th frame but Maguire put together 68 to increase his advantage, before Murphy dug deep to reduce the deficit to four frames again with a break of 47.

The momentum swung back in favour of Maguire, who went within one frame from victory with a break of 73.

Again Murphy clung on, this time winning two frames on the bounce with breaks of 67 and 46.

His resistance finally faltered, however, with Maguire winning the match in style after a brilliant 127. The world No. 28 will now be back in action against Gilbert on Tuesday, April 30.

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Murphy happy to avoid ‘a couple of grenades’ in World Championship draw

April 18, 2024

The 2005 winner of the competition begins his campaign against Lyu Haotian in the first round, and admitted relief at swerving the likes of Stephen Maguire and Jack Lisowski early on.

“There’s obviously a couple of grenades that you could have avoided – [Stephen] Maguire was one of them, [Jack] Lisowski another.

“I’m happy to have avoided those. After that, I mean it’s just take your pick, isn’t it? Lyu Haotian on his day can beat anyone, as can I.”

Murphy was grateful not to go through the arduous qualifying route, but is wary of facing someone like Lyu, who battled past Daniel Wells and Jenson Kendrick to make it into the main draw.

“I’m delighted to still be in the 16 and seeded through, not to have to go through the rigmarole of the qualifiers,” Murphy said.

“The other side of that is that the qualifiers who come through are sharp, they’re ready, they’re hungry, they’re at it.

“Like all first rounders, it’s going to be like that first fence at the Grand National.

“I haven’t been involved in the championship the last few years. I got to the final three years ago. I’ve lost in the first round in the last two championships.

“I either seem to have a really deep run to the semis or final, or get bumped out in the first round.

“So I’m hoping that I can buck my recent trend and get out of the first round, get through that melee of the first fence.”

Ding v Lisowski a ‘ridiculous match’ – Allen

Two-time Crucible semi-finalist Mark Allen was involved in the draw itself and picked out some of the standout ties involving the sport’s biggest names.

“There’s a couple of massive games there,” Allen told the BBC. “Luca [Brecel] vs [Dave] Gilbert to kick things off on Saturday.

“Ronnie [O’Sullivan] against Jackson [Page], who loves the big occasion. [Judd] Trump against [Hossein] Vafaei, Ding [Junhui] against [Jack] Lisowski a ridiculous match for the first round as well.

“What a match-up with Joe O’Connor [against Mark Selby], two Leicester boys, two good friends so that could be a good one as well.”

Allen faces an arguably less eye-catching opening showdown against Robbie Williams, but heaped the plaudits on the man making his fourth appearance at the tournament.

“Robbie is someone I’m a big admirer of actually and the way he came through that qualifier the other day from 9-8 down, he’s a class player but they’re all good players at the end of the day,” Allen said.

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Why O’Sullivan could face Crucible minefield in quest for record eighth world title

March 28, 2024

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s second seeding at the World Championship may prove to be more trouble than its worth in his quest to create snooker history at the Crucible next month.

The world No. 1 is set to go into the 48th staging of the sport’s biggest event in Sheffield in the bottom half of the draw unless results dictate otherwise at the Tour Championship in Manchester (April 1-7), the penultimate ranking event of the campaign.

Luca Brecel will have top billing at the Crucible as the defending champion, but it is not yet clear what half of the World Championship last-32 draw would provide better prospects of a run to the winning line for O’Sullivan ahead of the Tour Championship, a tournament Brecel failed to qualify for.

Trump is Tour top seed with O’Sullivan the second seed. They are both guaranteed £30,000 from starting their respective title bids in the quarter-finals in Manchester Central, which involves the top 12 players on the sport’s one-year money list.

‘A sight we’re so used to’ – Trump clinches World Open triumph to continue stunning season

Trump knows he will return to world No. 1 for the first time since 2021 if he claims the £150,000 first prize, or if he reaches the final and O’Sullivan loses in the semi-finals or before.

The UK and Masters champion will also remain world No. 1 before Sheffield if Trump fails to reach the final which would see him seeded second at the Crucible.

Champion of Champions winner Mark Allen could yet muscle in on the final Crucible seedings if he wins the Tour Championship and O’Sullivan and Trump fail to reach the final in Manchester.

Such a scenario would see the Antrim man take over as world No. 1 and claim the Crucible second seeding, leaving O’Sullivan as third seed and Trump as fourth seed, potentially impacting the starting grid for the Crucible.

Allen is seeded to face Trump in the best-of-19 frame Tour semi-finals if both men progress that far.

As the provisional rankings stand, O’Sullivan and Trump are on a collision course to meet in the semi-finals in Sheffield as the undisputed form horses in the sport in claiming 10 major titles between them this term.

Ding punches table in celebration after win over Robertson in World Open semi-finals

O’Sullivan is seeded to meet Barry Hawkins in the second round, a figure he defeated 18-12 in the 2013 world final with Hawkins completing a dramatic 13-12 success over the Rocket in the second round in 2016.

The 41-time ranking event winner would also be in line to take on 2005 world champion and three-time Crucible finalist Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals.

If he landed 2010 world champion and fifth favourite for the tournament Neil Robertson as a qualifier in the draw for the first round, or if the Australian icon comes out near him in the draw, it would potentially be a minefield for O’Sullivan to negotiate.

Alongside Brecel, Mark Selby as fifth seed and Robert Milkins at 16th seed are the only other seedings set in stone for the Crucible with the Tour Championship finalising the crucial order of the seedings amid several permutations.

O’Sullivan has won the world title in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022. He needs one more triumph to overtake Stephen Hendry as the most prolific world champion of the modern era.

Rocket’s potential Crucible minefield

First round: Neil Robertson (unseeded)
Second round: Barry Hawkins (15th seed)
Quarter-finals: Shaun Murphy (seventh seed)
Semi-finals: Judd Trump (third seed)
Final: Luca Brecel, Mark Allen or Mark Selby (top seed, fourth seed or fifth seed)

Latest provisional World Rankings

(Players in bold compete at Tour Championship)

1. Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng) 1,079,000
2. Judd Trump (Eng) 1,061,000
3. Mark Allen (NI) 945,000
4. Luca Brecel (Bel) 690,500
5. Mark Selby (Eng) 678,500
6. Ding Junhui (Chn) 486,500
7. Shaun Murphy (Eng) 468,000
8. Ali Carter (Eng) 433,000
9. Mark Williams (Wal) 427,500
10. Zhang Anda (Chn) 416,000
11. Kyren Wilson (Eng) 381,500
12. Gary Wilson (Eng) 401,500
13. John Higgins (Sco) 353,500
14. Tom Ford (Eng) 325,500
15. Barry Hawkins (Eng) 312,500
16. Robert Milkins (Eng) 283,500

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