SHAUN MURPHY has opened up on his World Snooker Championship final defeat against Wu Yize – admitting he’s unsure that he’ll get over the heartbreaking loss at the Crucible.
The Magician reached his third final in ten years, pushing his rival Wu Yize all the way until the final frame of the contest but ultimately losing in a final-frame decider.
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Shaun Murphy has revealed he might not get over his Crucible heartbreak Credit: Getty
Wu Yize beats Murphy winning his first Snooker World Championship Credit: Getty
It was an agonising 18-17 defeat for Murphy who last won the first world title in 2009.
Murphy said: “To be honest with you, I’m not sure I’m over it yet.
“It is the hardest match to lose because you grow up wanting to be world champion at the crucible.”
Wu Yize ran away with it during the first session but the experience of Magician helped him claw his way back into an enthralling match.
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The former world champion, 43, added: “I just tried to use a bit of experience.
“My opponent, well he’s never played a match of that length before in his career.”
Murphy is no stranger to heartbreak at the Crucible but admits that the UK is still his favourite place to play.
He said: “The UK will always be my favourite I suppose, now especially that the World Championship will stay here until 2045.”
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List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
1969 – John Spencer
1970 – Ray Reardon
1971 – John Spencer
1972 – Alex Higgins
1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
1977 – John Spencer (2)
1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
1979 – Terry Griffiths
1980 – Cliff Thorburn
1981 – Steve Davis
1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
1983 – Steve Davis (2)
1984 – Steve Davis (3)
1985 – Dennis Taylor
1986 – Joe Johnson
1987 – Steve Davis (4)
1988 – Steve Davis (5)
1989 – Steve Davis (6)
1990 – Stephen Hendry
1991 – John Parrott
1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 – Ken Doherty
1998 – John Higgins
1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 – Mark Williams
2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
2002 – Peter Ebdon
2003 – Mark Williams (2)
2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
2005 – Shaun Murphy
2006 – Graeme Dott
2007 – John Higgins (2)
2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
2009 – John Higgins (3)
2010 – Neil Robertson
2011 – John Higgins (4)
2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
2014 – Mark Selby
2015 – Stuart Bingham
2016 – Mark Selby (2)
2017 – Mark Selby (3)
2018 – Mark Williams (3)
2019 – Judd Trump
2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
2021 – Mark Selby (4)
2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
2023 – Luca Brecel
2024 – Kyren Wilson
2025 – Zhao Xintong
2026 – Wu Yize
Most World Titles (modern era)
7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
2 – Alex Higgins
Despite the heartbreak, Murphy – who had moaned about long frames earlierin the tournament – showed the utmost respect to his opponent.
“He is an inspiration for absolutely anyone who wants to be a snooker player.”
After his devastating final frame loss, the Crucible has now witnessed two Chinese world champions in consecutive years.
The Northamptonshire potter added: “it is amazing to see how popular it is out there and back-to-back Chinese world champions hasn’t hurt at all either.”
Murphy believes it is a great time to be a snooker player despite the heartbreak of losing in Sheffield and the 42-year-old is showing no signs of giving up.
“It is really a great time to be a snooker player and whilst the opportunities are there, I think we’ll all still be going.”
