Shaun Murphy claims he cannot wait to “get stuck in” ahead of his first ever Champion of Champions semi-final appearance against Luca Brecel on Saturday night. ‘The Magician’ has already broken the mould in Coventry this week given he had never won a match at the tournament before until seeing off both Mark King and Michael White in Group Two encounters at the Ricoh Arena.
It ensured former world champion Murphy would be competing in the last four against Belgium’s Brecel who has been in ominous form to date, having thrashed Judd Trump 4-0 before a 6-4 success against Mark Selby saw him progress. And having tasted victory at the Champion of Champions, Murphy is now determined to go all the way to Sunday’s final where Ronnie O’Sullivan awaits.
The 35-year-old Englishman said: “My record here couldn’t have been any worse so to come here today and make it to the last four, I am over the moon. I can’t wait to come back on Saturday and get stuck in.” Murphy added: “The way I play snooker – aggressive, going for my shots, long pots, big breaks – I have to be getting them because my B-game, C-game doesn’t really exist. I never have been a really good safety player and I have accepted now that if I am going to win, I have to win like that.” Murphy, who has lost four of his last five meetings against Brecel, is 7/1 to win Saturday night’s semi-final while ‘the Bullet’ is available at 7/1.
Snooker odds available at Dafabet.