Shaun Murphy battles back from losing first four frames to down Kyren Wilson in Tour Championship final
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 03/04/2023 at 12:09 GMT
Snooker, like many sports, is one filled with momentum swings. There were extreme shifts in the Tour Championship final at the Bonus Arena in Hull on Friday. Kyren Wilson set off like an express train by winning the opening four frames of the contest, only for Shaun Murphy to rally in some style. He levelled the match and then proved the better player in the evening.
Can White recreate Murphy's incredible trick shot?
Shaun Murphy shrugged off the shock of losing the opening four frames to rally superbly and beat Kyren Wilson 10-7 to win the Tour Championship.
Murphy has been a man transformed this season, with back issues seemingly a thing of the past after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery to control his weight.
He ended a three-year wait for a ranking title with victory in the Players Championship in February, and will now head to the World Championship with a spring in his step after claiming the Tour Championship title in Hull.
Wilson made six centuries in his semi-final win over Ding Junhui and started in a similar vein compiling runs of 108, 84, 62 and 111 on his way to a four-frame lead, but Murphy weathered the storm and fought back - producing three 70+ breaks - to level things going into the evening.
Murphy attempted to carry on the momentum from the afternoon when taking on a long red at the start of the evening session, but it wobbled in the jaws and fell kindly for Wilson to get up and running.
Wilson settled first and a run of 59 was enough to restore his lead, but Murphy responded with 131, his first century of the match, in the 10th to restore parity.
Wilson got in first in the 11th, but trudged back to his chair after a miscue on a blue. It did not prove costly, as Murphy overcut a red to the bottom left and a run of 52 was enough to help the man from Kettering to edge back in front - albeit he wrapped up the frame a short while later with a stunning red that belonged on the exhibition circuit rather than in a final.
Wilson looked well set to open up a two-frame advantage in the next when picking off pots to get within a red and colour of the frame. The final red appeared routine, but it wriggled in the jaws and Murphy cleared up to steal the frame - as he did in the final frame of the afternoon.
Wilson and Murphy have laid claim to being the best in the business with the rest. In the frame upon the resumption, Wilson missed a red with the rest while Murphy crunched one in with the same piece of furniture and it helped him get ahead for the first time in the match.
Murphy had momentum on his side and the lead became two frames when he reeled off a classy break of 115.
Wilson responded well to take the 15th, which he secured with some good potting coupled with a huge slice of fortune. With his lead at 40 points, he took on a red that was effectively frame ball. It wriggled in the jaws of the yellow pocket, ricocheted down and across the table and into the right middle.
Murphy was expressionless as Wilson offered his hand by way of an apology. He looked laser-focused and came out to land the 16th with a fine break of 95 to move within one frame of the title.
Wilson had a chance to keep the match alive when he crunched in a superb opening red in the 17th, but missed a black that could only be attributed to pressure.
Murphy arrived at the table with a lot to do, but picked off 39 points to eke out an advantage - and got a superb cue ball when playing safe.
Wilson attempted an intricate safety to get back to baulk, and missed twice. He was warned, and took it in good spirits by sharing a joke with the crowd. With the safety shot no longer an option, he went for the pot and wriggled it in the jaws.
Murphy climbed from his chair and picked off the points required to secure his second tournament of the season.
- - -
Stream the 2023 World Championship qualifiers, and the main event at the Crucible, live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.com
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement