Snooker star Shaun Murphy has been left ‘in shock’ after beating Kyren Wilson to secure his second Masters title at Alexandra Palace on Sunday.
Murphy held off a fightback from the world champion to come out on top with a 10-7 win and scoop up a record-breaking amount of prize money.
The 42-year-old, known as ‘The Magician’, takes home a whopping £350,000 as well as one of the sport’s Triple Crown trophies.
‘I can’t believe it – I’m in shock,’ Murphy told the BBC. ‘If I’m totally honest I thought these days were gone.
‘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.’
Murphy has triumphed four times in Triple Crown events in his career – but was hardly one of the main favourites heading into the 2025 Masters.
He had failed to taste victory in a Triple Crown event since winning the Masters in 2015 before this year’s tournament.
‘This is right up there, the win here in 2015 was big to cement my Triple Crown set and join that club but this win is as big if not arguably bigger,’ Murphy added.
‘The 147 yesterday was one of the biggest moments of my entire life as a snooker player. It’s been an incredible week.
‘I was having a decent season until we came here this week – just without any silverware. I still haven’t got any silverware but I’ve got a nice piece of crystal!’
Six-time world champion Steve Davis told the BBC: ‘Shaun should be really proud himself and it’s also great for Peter Ebdon, because he’s been such a stalwart in the game and I think he’s enjoying the challenge of being a top coach. Shaun was the number one player this week by a long way.’
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