Murphy chasing another big-name scalp
A true clash of the generations over the next two days will produce an Embassy World Championship semi-finalist few people would have predicted.
Steve Davis, who lifted the trophy six times in the 1980s, is a quarter of a century older than his last-eight opponent Shaun Murphy, with both men having been dismissed as rank outsiders before the tournament began.
But after Paul Hunter was knocked out in round one and John Higgins found himself blown away by Murphy in round two, this section of the draw has opened up and presented a great opportunity to these surprise contenders.
It is the first time Murphy has got beyond the opening hurdle in three visits to Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre and he admitted after his stunning success over Higgins that his expectations had been modest.
“I would have been satisfied with simply not falling over on my way into the arena because I’m wearing a new pair of shoes,” said the Rotherham-based world number 48.
“But seriously, I was looking to try and get further than the first round and then anything else was a bonus.”
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