Murphy show quality at Crucible

14 April 2012

Shaun Murphy, fresh from a brilliant display against John Higgins, maintained that terrific form in his Embassy World Championship quarter-final against Steve Davis at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre today.

The 22-year-old Rotherham-based player, a 150-1 outsider at the start of the tournament, raced into a 7-1 lead and is already halfway towards the 13 frames he needs to clinch a surprise place in the last four.

Against Higgins, whom he beat 13-8, the most impressive aspect of Murphy's performance was his long potting and that was the case again today as his opponent's renowned safety play failed to subdue him.

The world number 48 knocked in breaks of 82, 72 and 58 twice, six-times former champion Davis looking out of sorts having missed several easy chances to make a sizeable contribution of his own.

Murphy will be aware the 13th seed staged a magnificent fightback from 8-2 down to beat Michael Holt in the previous round, but Davis will need to find his range when the match resumes tonight to avoid embarrassment.

Shaun Murphy needed just over 23 minutes to wrap up his drubbing of Steve Davis, completing a 13-4 triumph in the opening frame of the final session.

The 22-year-old, who had never previously won a match at the Crucible, will meet O'Sullivan or Ebdon in the last four after following up his second-round victory over John Higgins.

"I'm absolutely over the moon," said Rotherham-based Murphy, a former child prodigy who is now starting to fulfil his potential on the sport's biggest stage.

"Steve was my boyhood idol and I had beaten him in the past but not here, which is like his second home. That made it a completely different challenge.

"I'm still a big fan of his and when I saw him miss I found myself thinking 'oh Steve', and when I was tucking him up behind the green I was thinking 'sorry'.

"I was getting edgy last night but I could sense that Steve was too and that spurred me on. It was disappointing not to finish it off last night because it would have given me a full day off. But I dealt with that and came back to wrap it up today."

Davis paid tribute to the world number 48, whom he first encountered when pestered for an autograph by a nine-year-old Murphy.

"Shaun potted them off the lampshades and I made too many basic errors to stay with him," said the 47-year-old who will retain his place in the world's top 16 next season.

"His long potting was unbelievable in the first session and I don't think anyone is hitting the ball straighter over distance.

"As I got further and further behind I lost a bit of inspiration but I enjoyed the challenge even though it was going wrong.

"I wanted to have a good run with it being the last year of Embassy sponsorship and I did. I've had a great tournament."

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