Shaun Murphy claimed a dramatic China Championship victory after he held on to defeat Mark Williams 10-9 in a remarkable final match in Guangzhou.
Shaun Murphy finally won his first ranking title since March 2017 after he won in an enthralling 10-9 victory over Mark Williams at the 2019 China Championship on Sunday.
The 37-year-old made a 137 to create a 5-4 lead at the interval and added his 499th career century when he formed a 9-5 advantage.
However, Williams, 47, who is also the world’s number three, Williams won the next four frames, making it drawn at 9-9, and taking the match to a decider with a sublime break of 132.
It was set to be a difficult decider, but it was Murphy who had the final say. The world number 14 responded with a run of 69, which helped him to secure his eighth ranking victory.
Murphy or ‘The Magician’ as he is fondly called, will go home with £150,000 and a possibly a coveted invitation into the upcoming Champion of Champions.
Shaun Murphy has not always had luck on his side in title deciders, because he has lost in the last six times he reached this stage in ranking events.
The Englishman lost to an inspired Judd Trump in the International Championship last month and again to Ronnie O’Sullivan in the Shanghai Masters earlier in September.
Murphy, who is known for his straight cue action and his long potting, became a professional snooker player in 1998. The major ranking tournaments he has won include the 2007 Malta Cup, the 2008 UK Championship, the Players Tour Championship 2010/2011 Finals and the 2014 World Open.
Murphy has pocketed more than £3 million in prize money and has secured over 450 century breaks in his professional snooker career.
Murphy said this about Williams’ comeback:
“I was getting very uncomfortable in my chair,” “It was horrible, I felt sick, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see straight, it was very hard to get over the line.
“That 69 break is one of the best of my life, keeping in mind what had gone on before it.”
Shaun Murphy would now look forward to a likely place in the Champion of Champions tournament. Back in November 2017, Murphy won the Champion of Champions title defeating Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final.
Written by: Collins Nwokolo