Shaun Murphy wins 2017 Champion of Champions
Shaun Murphy has won the 2017 Champion of Champions, narrowly beating Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-8 in the final as the five-time world champion made a fearsome comeback.
O’Sullivan had an excellent tournament, whitewashing defending champion John Higgins in the second round and then making his 900th century in a semi-final clash against Anthony Hamilton. He also made the tournament-high break of 138, and he looked the favourite against a player who had never won a match at the event until this year.
The 2013 and 2014 champion got things going, with breaks of 97 and 98 to take the first two frames. But Murphy fought back, and produced 68 and 70 to level at the interval. He then inched ahead to make it 4-2, but a combination of 65 and 61 breaks saw O’Sullivan reduce the deficit to one. He swiftly levelled again with a 72 break after a battle when Murphy had the first opportunity, and then there was one frame left of the session. It was close-fought, but Murphy edged it and entered the evening session with a 5-4 lead.
Murphy was on fire, winning four of the next five frames – runs of 56, 71 and 74 were enough to make it 9-5, and put him one frame from victory. O’Sullivan was down, but far from out – he fought to win frame 15, and then produced the match’s only century break (of 108) to win frame 16. He built on his momentum to make it 9-8, and he was on the verge of a famous comeback.
It was frame 18 – it was scrappy, but O’Sullivan seized the initiative after Murphy sent a red into the jaws of the pocket. O’Sullivan played a good positional shot on a tough yellow, but then he missed frame-ball green to the left middle – he smacked his cue in frustration, and then could do nothing but sit and watch as Murphy cleared the colours and won the match.
After the match, Murphy said: “When the green didn’t go in I was just so relieved. I had to stop myself shaking to clear the balls up. Ronnie is a player you don’t want to run at you. I never saw a ball until the end.
“I thought it was going nine apiece. He is the best out there and it is a real honour to play against him and see where you are.”
O’Sullivan said: “I just want to say well done to Shaun. In the last three frames I got rhythm and made a match of it but he deserved victory and played better today.”
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