March 1, 2012, 12:24 pm
SHAUN Murphy secured his berth in the quarter-finals of the Haikou World Open with a 5-3 win over Joe Perry today.
The Magician maintained his superb record of making at least the last eight of every ranking event this season with a relatively straightforward success.
He roared out of the blocks to take a commanding 3-0 lead over Perry. The Cambridgeshire potter put up some dogged resistance but Murphy always had the upper hand and progressed to set up a clash with Mark Selby tomorrow.
February 28, 2012, 11:54 am
SHAUN Murphy came from 3-2 behind to nail a 5-3 victory over Ricky Walden in the first round of the Haikou World Open earlier today.
The highlight of the win was a total clearance of 131 as Shaun made it through to face either Matthew Stevens or Joe Perry in the last 16 on Thursday.
February 23, 2012, 7:14 pm
Flying out to China tomorrow for the Haikou World Open. It's being staged in Hainan, China where we went last year for an invitational. That worked out well and now we are about to have a ranking event there.
It's just another example of what a great time it is to be a snooker player. Those days of sitting home and not having events to play in are long gone. In fact, I'm now trying to arrange a break during the PTC Finals - which I'm not in - to recharge the batteries ahead of the China Open and the World Championship.
I practised at the club with Nigel Bond yesterday. He is a very special person and someone who I will always appreciate for taking the time to allow me to practice with him when I was growing up. I've been lucky enough to get to know his wife and family over the years and he really is a top bloke.
Shame that he's a City fan, though! Indeed, after we practised he shot off to the Etihad last night to watch them play Porto.
People ask me if I mind the travelling and the staying away. Actually, I used to find going out to China very difficult with sleeping patterns. But we do it that often now that I just get on with it. In fact, I'm building up some great memories from my trips there - stories to tell in years to come.
Hopefully, I'll have a good one to tell after next week. I've got Ricky Walden first up and I couldn't have been given a tougher start. Ricky is a fabulous player and we've already met twice this season. He beat me in the UK Championship and I managed to win in the German Masters. I know I'll have to be at my best when we play next Tuesday. Check back here next week and I'll update you on how it went. Cheers!
February 17, 2012, 9:19 pm
SHAUN Murphy was delighted after today battling through to once again reach the last four of another tournament.
The Magician, who made the final of the Masters and then the semi-finals of the German Masters in his previous two tournaments, saw off Mark Allen 5-4 in the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open this afternoon.
Having led 3-1 at the mid-session interval, Murphy had to sit and watch as his Irish opponent stormed into a 4-3 advantage.
But Shaun kept his cool and played two superb pressure frames to edge out Allen 5-4.
He said: "I didn't feel I did much wrong from 3-1 - Mark was just very clinical. It was one of those matches, a bit like my first-round one with Mark Joyce in that I would have lost it a year or so ago. I would have lost my patience.
"But the things I have been working hard on are really coming through now. I stuck at it. It just proves the old adage, you only get out what you put in. It's very rewarding and long may it continue - this is another good week."
Shaun's semi-final gets underway at 1pm in Newport.