Murphy maintains fine form
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.
On the other table Stephen Hendry, who succeeded Davis as the game’s dominant force, was 5-1 adrift of Matthew Stevens before winning the final two frames of their opening session.
Hendry, holder of a record seven world titles, struggled badly until compiling a couple of half-centuries which kept him touch with the Welshman, who was runner-up to compatriot Mark Williams in 2000.
