Shaun Murphy claimed Masters success for a second time after a superb 10-7 victory over Kyren Wilson in a thrilling final at Alexandra Palace.
Murphy had been irresistible all week and produced only the sixth maximum break in the tournament’s history in his semi-final win over Mark Allen.
A day later it was followed by four more centuries in a high-quality and tense final, in which Wilson fought back from a four-frame deficit to trail 8-7 before Murphy – world champion once in 2005 – held his nerve to deservedly triumph 10 years after his maiden Masters crown.
The start of the final was disrupted by a wasp inside the north London venue, with Murphy again the target as he had been earlier this week. It failed to put off the 42-year-old as he demonstrated his confidence with a break of 94 to take the opening frame and by the halfway point he was 6-2 ahead.
Three frames later it was 7-4 and before long it was 8-7. At the start of frame 16 Murphy had gone almost half an hour without potting a ball and, while that soon changed, Wilson was afforded another opportunity but had to be warned a third consecutive missed red would see him forfeit the frame.
Wilson, a runner-up at Alexandra Palace in 2018 and the reigning world champion, made his next red during a short stay as a missed long red brought Murphy back and he took his time before a 55 break moved him one frame from glory. A re-rack was required before what proved the final frame of the night as, after several safety shots, Murphy landed a superb red. It proved enough as he closed out victory in style with one final break of exactly 100 to lift the Paul Hunter Trophy for a second time.
“There was a stage where it was panic stations, so credit to Kyren,” Murphy said before praising his new mentor Peter Ebdon.
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“This is right up there. The win here in ’15 was big to cement my triple crown, but this is big if not bigger. The 147 was one of the biggest moments of my life. If I am honest I thought my time was gone. I’ve teamed up with Peter and he was very strong, helped me rediscover that self-belief and helped remind me I used to be quite good at this. There is still a bit of life in the old dog yet.”
