Shaun Murphy held off a stirring fightback from world champion Kyren Wilson to safe his second Masters title with a 10-7 win at Alexandra Palace.
Having established a wholesome 6-2 benefit on Sunday afternoon, Murphy was put underneath excessive strain by his fellow Englishman, because the momentum of the match shifted within the night.
Wilson knocked in breaks of 95, 78 and 65 as he received 5 of the primary seven frames to cut back his arrears to only one body at 8-7.
Nonetheless, when he missed a protracted crimson to the fitting nook within the sixteenth body, Murphy held his nerve, crafting a useful 55 to maneuver inside a body of victory earlier than ending his 10-year wait to triumph in a prestigious Triple Crown occasion together with his fourth century of the match.
“I am unable to imagine it – I am in shock. If I am completely sincere I assumed today have been gone,” Murphy advised ORIONEWS Sport.
“Once I misplaced to Mark Selby in 2021 [in the world final] on the Crucible, I assumed my days within the enterprise finish of those occasions had gone.
“However everybody is aware of I’ve teamed up with Peter Ebdon and he is helped me rediscover that self-belief, he is helped remind me I was fairly good at this. There’s nonetheless a little bit of life within the outdated canine but.
“I have to pay tribute to Kyren – he is a superb world champion. He actually took it to me and there was a stage a couple of frames in the past when it was panic stations.”
World quantity seven Murphy was hardly one of many fundamental favourites when he arrived on the invitational 16-man event this week, having did not style victory in a Triple Crown occasion since profitable the Masters in 2015.
Nonetheless, he has proved a deserved winner of the Paul Hunter Trophy and the £350,000 prime prize after producing arguably the very best snooker of his profession.
A mesmeric 147 most break, which underscored his success in opposition to Mark Allen within the final 4 additionally ensured that he collects the £15,000 prize awarded for the very best break.
Whereas his heavy scoring and aggressive attacking play has delivered seven centuries over the week, 4 greater than anybody else, crucially, his work with Ebdon seems to have reaped dividends and enabled him to retain a laser-like focus.