Kyren Wilson could not help but laugh at Shaun Murphy’s expense (Image: BBC)
Kyren Wilson branded “a wally” after the World No.7 snookered himself while on course for a 147 at the Masters. Murphy, 42, recently claimed he’s one of few people on the planet to have hit a
At Alexandra Palace, Murphy did not need to do anything too extraordinary, as he efficiently swatted aside in the quarter-finals 6-2, with breaks of 90, 82 and 120. While the final break was the most impressive, it could have been completely flawless had Murphy not messed up a set-up shot for the blue.
The Essex native was on course for a 147 when he emphatically potted the black to bring his score up to 120. However, he needed either slightly less or slightly more power to give himself a good angle for the blue. Instead, the cueball painfully rolled it’s way right behind the blue, rendering his chances of hitting a 147 almost impossible.
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When asked about Murphy’s attempt after the match, Wilson, who is working as a pundit for the , said: “What a wally. What a wally. Fancy snookering yourself on the blue.”
After poking fun at his failed maximum, Wilson became serious and said: “What an effort, what a fantastic performance. Neil will be walking away there thinking, ‘I didn’t do too much wrong’. Shaun’s all round matchplay was fantastic, his break building was great, it would have been the icing on the cake to have a 147 there.”
In his post-match interview, Murphy admitted he was disappointed with the effort, citing a maximum finish would have been a great birthday present for his mother. He said: “I said one of my targets for the season was to make a maximum in one of the triple crown events.
“I was like ‘come on, this is a good chance’. I mean, anywhere but there, but, goodness me, it was exciting. The most important thing for today, was that it would have been a great present, it was my mum’s birthday.”
Murphy’s shot was stuck right behind the blue (Image: BBC)
Murphy’s hopes of winning a first Masters title since 2015 will be tested when he faces either Mark Selby or Mark Allen in the last four. Considering his recent form, it’s likely Murphy will be labelled the favourite whoever he is pitted against.
In a warning to his next opponent, the Magician warned he is playing his best snooker since he won the Players Championship and Tour Championship back-to-back in 2023. He added: “I’ve produced little bits and pieces but not really when it mattered.
“You’re going up against a two-time winner here against Neil, a real classy player and I’ve always said when you play one of those, the greats, an all-timer, you have to play your best.
“That was somewhere near my best, I’m delighted. I’m really pleased.”