Shaun Murphy put on a dazzling display, defeating Jack Lisowski 6-3 and securing a highly anticipated semi-final against Ronnie O’Sullivan in the MrQ Masters tournament in London. The two players will face each other for the first time in the Masters tournament at Alexandra Palace on Saturday, after a five-year hiatus from any event on the World Snooker Tour. Despite this, the pair have had a legendary rivalry throughout their careers, with O’Sullivan leading the head-to-head 13-3. Murphy is eager to secure his first Triple Crown title since his maiden Masters win in 2015, where he defeated Neil Robertson 10-2 in the final. Meanwhile, Lisowski is still seeking his first professional circuit title, having made six ranking finals without success. He reached the Masters semi-finals last year, defeating John Higgins and Hossein Vafaei before being whitewashed 6-0 by Mark Williams.
Murphy got off to a strong start, scoring a break of 75 and taking the first frame. Although Lisowski levelled with a break of 74 in the second frame, Murphy quickly regained control, scoring 131, 76 and 123 to take four frames in a row and lead 5-1. Lisowski fought back, winning the next two frames to remain in contention at 5-3. The ninth frame was a nail-biter, with Murphy eventually sinking a difficult shot on the black to secure his place in the last four.
Reflecting on his performance, Murphy admitted to feeling nervous and edgy towards the end of the match. However, he emphasised that playing on a big stage like Alexandra Palace is what snooker players dream of. He expressed excitement for his upcoming match against O’Sullivan, noting that the two players have faced each other in many finals over the years and are both known for their entertaining play. Murphy hopes to come out on top and be the last man standing.
