Shaun Murphy scores four centuries in a 6-0 thumping of Ryan Day at Players Championship
The Magician opened with a break of 104, followed by 107 and 105 to leave Welshman Day in for an uphill battle.
Murphy, second to Robert Milkins in the Welsh Open final last week, was on course for another century in the fourth frame only to miss a red when he was well adjusted to 85.
After winning the fifth frame 75-30, Murphy saved his best for the close with a great 133 – which included an excellent double green into the middle pocket – to stay on course for the top break prize of 10,000 to reach £.
Murphy, who hit a 145 followed by a maximum 147 during his run at the Welsh Open, told ITV4: “It was amazing. It was one of those nights when everything came together.
“I’ve had a couple of those games against me this season so I know how Ryan feels.
“I know my game is good, I hit the ball really well, but my supreme feeling is just grateful for that.
“It’s been a barren couple of seasons. I didn’t even go to this event last year and sat at home and watched it, so I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do so.”
decide drama
Joe O’Connor edged out Luca Brecel in the crucial frame of a fabulous Players Championship match to secure his place in the last four.
In a dramatic climax, O’Connor seemed to have almost given up an unassailable advantage in the deciding set, only for Brecel to loosen his lines twice and drop his opponent across the payline.
A break of 57 had done much of the hard work for O’Connor, but when he decided to separate what was left of the pack from the Browns, he missed the pot and gave Brecel a lifeline.
A wild miscue soon stopped him, only for O’Connor to once again fail to finish the match, and when Brecel pulled off a number of good pots and left himself on the final red along the side pad, the win was takeable for him.
The red didn’t fall after catching the near jaw, however, and O’Connor finally got a breath of fresh air at the end of a great scramble.
Brecel started where he left off in the previous round against Jack Lisowski, but despite compiling breaks of 68, 67 and 88, he was cut back by O’Connor, who leveled at 3-3 with an 85 run.
The high standard continued as the next two frames were shared and although Brecel took the lead again to lead 5-4, O’Connor hit back again with a brilliant 125 aggregate clearance to win the entire match .
A nervous finish was predictable and it was O’Connor – a beaten finalist at the Scottish Open earlier in the season – who did just enough to secure his place in the semi-finals.
“It was a good fight with Luca. I think people in the audience would have been happy to see a good match,” said O’Connor Snooker World Tour.
“You have to hold it tight to him. Every time he gets a long look I know there’s a good chance of going in and I’ll probably lose the frame. I just had to hold it tight and not give it a chance to get in.
“Running at the Scottish Open has boosted my confidence. It’s just a little bit more to believe in myself.
“When I’m in and around the balls and taking breaks, I can guess myself. That’s gone a little bit out of the window and I’m able to flow a little more freely.
“It would be fantastic to win the event. As a snooker player your dream is to lift trophies, I won’t think too much about it until I at least reach the final.”