Shaun Murphy isn’t the only player to have been subjected to online abuse after losing (Image: Getty)
Shaun Murphy has opened up about some of the sickening abuse he has received from followers on social media. The Magician has enjoyed a strong season, with his superb triumph at the Masters in January being the high point and he will be a contender at the which begins next month.
The 2005 world champion recently lost 6-5 in a high-quality semi-final against at the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong. Losing to an in-form player like Robertson, who went on to is nothing to be ashamed of. However, was appalled by some of the abhorrent messages he received on social media following the match. Potentially from disgruntled gamblers, the abuse even included vile insults about family members.
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Speaking on which he co-hosts with sports MC Phil Seymour, the 42-year-old said: “It’s happening every match, it’s happening to everyone who loses.”
He added: “I came off match against Neil Robertson – bearing in mind it was a really high-quality match – to messages on social media of people wishing me cancer, wishing my mum ill, [people saying] ‘I hope you die in an accident on the way home’.
“All of this stuff. You’re like, ‘hang on a minute, where’s my right of reply in all this?’ We’re living in a strange world at the moment.”
Murphy was subjected to abuse after losing a high-quality match to Neil Robertson (Image: Getty)
He added: “It’s certainly not what I signed up for, growing up as a young kid wanting to be a snooker professional. You try your guts out, you leave everything out there. You get beaten by someone who’s playing at the top of their game and then you get abuse for it!”
Following the World Grand Prix, Murphy’s focus is now on the Players Championship, which begins on Monday, and the Tour Championship as he looks to avoid needing to qualify for the World Championship.
The Magician is 15th in the provisional seedings, with only the top 16 securing an automatic passage to the Crucible. Murphy meets Barry Hawkins in the first round of the Players Championship on Tuesday. will not be involved after failing to qualify, having missed a string of tournaments this season.