At first I considered this one a normal, well balanced, match between two former world champions. It started out that way so I didn’t have any reason to think otherwise. The first 8 frames ended at the score of 4 to 4, with a highest break of 123 achieved in the 7th frame of the match by Shaun Murphy. Matthew Stevens won 7 out of the 8 following frames and the score escaladed to 11-5, at this point the odds for Shaun Murphy to win the match got to 1:160 at some bookkeepers in the UK. That means for every pound on Shaun one would have won 160 pounds if Shaun won the match.

Just as Matthew Stevens won 7 out of 8 frames in the second session, Shaun Murphy achieved the same incredible feat in the third session and won back the frames lost, he put the match in its decisive frame in one of the most dramatic come-backs in snooker’s history. Matthew Stevens only got to win a frame when the score was 7-11, after that Shaun played on with no pressure on his shoulders. Matthew was one frame away from victory, only Shaun still believed in his chances and he fought back, he won 5 frames straight and the score was tied at 12.

The last frame… I will let you judge for yourselves.

Shaun Murphy, by winning this match in an extraordinary way, not only denied Matthew Stevens his place in the semifinals but also his place among the top 16 players in world rankings next year.

Written by NetBoy | Click here for the main page