Shaun Murphy held off a stirring fightback by world
champion Kyren Wilson to secure his second Masters title with a 10-7 win at
Alexandra Palace.
Having established a healthy 6-2 advantage on Sunday
afternoon, Murphy was put under extreme pressure by his fellow Englishman, as
the momentum of the match shifted in the evening.
Wilson knocked in breaks of 95, 78 and 65 as he won five of
the first seven frames to reduce his arrears to just one frame at 8-7.
However, when he missed a long red to the right corner in
the 16th frame, Murphy held his nerve, crafting a valuable 55 to move within a
frame of victory before ending his 10-year wait to triumph in a prestigious
Triple Crown event with his fourth century of the match.
"I can't believe it - I'm in shock. If I'm totally
honest I thought these days were gone," Murphy, 42, told OceanNewsUK.
"When I lost to Mark Selby in 2021 [in the world final]
at the Crucible, I thought my days in the business end of these events had
gone.
"But everyone knows I've teamed up with Peter Ebdon and
he's helped me rediscover that self-belief, he's helped remind me I used to be
quite good at this. There's still a bit of life in the old dog yet.
"I must pay tribute to Kyren - he is a great world
champion. He really took it to me and there was a stage a few frames ago when
it was panic stations."
World number seven Murphy was hardly one of the main
favourites when he arrived at the invitational 16-man tournament this week,
having failed to taste victory in a Triple Crown event since winning the
Masters in 2015.
However, he has proved a deserved winner of the Paul Hunter
Trophy and the £350,000 top prize after producing arguably the best snooker of
his career.
A mesmeric 147 maximum break, which
underscored his success against Mark Allen in the last four also ensured that
he collects the £15,000 prize awarded for the highest break.
While his heavy scoring and aggressive attacking play has
delivered seven centuries over the week, four more than anyone else, crucially,
his work with Ebdon appears to have reaped dividends and enabled him to retain
a laser-like focus.
Magician Murphy celebrates big win at last
Nicknamed the Magician, Murphy has openly spoken of his
disappointment at not accumulating more major titles since turning professional
in 1998.
So it was no surprise to see his outpouring of joy as he
punched the air in the knowledge that he had become the 12th multiple Masters
champion.
His success also meant he receives the largest winning
cheque of his career.
"I've had loads of good days. I have been very, very
lucky but this is right up there," he added.
Murphy's dominance in the first session when he opened with
a 94 and reeled off sublime breaks of 134 and 116, ultimately left Wilson - who
lost his only other final 10-7 to Mark Allen in 2018 - with too much to do.
"I just made it too easy for Shaun today. I threw him
in the balls too many times and you can't do that with how well Shaun's been
playing this week," Wilson said.
"I proved why I'm the world champion, I fought as hard
as I could. From 8-4 down a lot of people would have written me off, and if the
red goes in at 8-7 that could have been my clearance for 8-8 and you might be
looking at a different scoreline.
"But every credit to Shaun making a century to finish
for the fans."
