The China Championship Final
After a week of thrilling snooker in Guangzhou, China, we eventually found out who would battle for this auspicious title. England faced Wales as Shaun Murphy was drawn against Mark Williams in a snooker battle that both players were keen to win in order to add another title to their career curriculum vitae. With £150,000 on offer for the tournament winner, a lot was riding on both Mark and Shaun to play their “A” game to make this a match to remember. When the lights finally went down and the players assumed their seats, the Chinese audience waited with baited breath to see who would be the outright victor on Sunday night. When push came to shove, both Murphy and Williams hung on each others’ coattails and the pendulum swayed between both players as each took frames to play a match that was nip and tuck from the start. The match score went to 3-3 and then 4-3 to Williams before Shaun took the last two frame before the interval to take a 5-4 lead.
After the interval , the first frame was decided on the black when a near miss caused Mark to steal the frame from Murphy’s grip. Then Murphy began to motor and Williams was left sitting in his corner as Murphy stacked up a 7-5 lead over the Welshman. Shaun took three of the four frames post interval and it wasn’t long before Murphy’s lead was increased to 8-5. This then went to 9-5 for Shaun with the Englishman only a frame away from capturing the title. What happened next was a snooker miracle with the magic of snooker always being reserved for a final. Mark Williams duo deep into his world class vault and produced snooker that threw everything at Murphy including the kitchen sink. Williams went up gear after gear to take the match to a decider. At 9-9, the pressure was on both players to get the job done. Perhaps the pressure was laid higher in Williams’ corner as he had already climbed s mountain higher than Snowdon just to match his opponent. Murphy who had been largely staring at his opponent and the ceiling for the latter play, was cold but in a strange way, refreshed as he dodged the flames of the Welsh dragon to cross the winning line first.
This 10-9 victory by Shaun Murphy will go down in the snooker history books as one of the best finals ever played. Murphy lived up to his snooker nickname as he weaved in and out of frames to capture the China Championship. Even when the chips were down and Williams was breathing down his neck and had one hand on the trophy, the “Magician “ pushed him aside and played a frame of snooker that any amateur or professional player would sell their high teeth to be involved in yet alone play. Shaun has been in touching distance of trophies for several tournaments this season but had been blasted away with stronger opponent. Mark Williams May be a cool and laid back character externally but today he must be bitterly disappointed that his late surge wasn’t enough to capture this famous title. All credit to both players to both players for making this a final to remember. This match could have been dubbed a snooker soap opera having high drama and suspense that filled the Chinese auditorium to the rafters. If anyone who thinks snooker is boring, take a seat and watch this match in replay mode, you won’t be disappointed and you will become an avid snooker fan as a result.
After the interval , the first frame was decided on the black when a near miss caused Mark to steal the frame from Murphy’s grip. Then Murphy began to motor and Williams was left sitting in his corner as Murphy stacked up a 7-5 lead over the Welshman. Shaun took three of the four frames post interval and it wasn’t long before Murphy’s lead was increased to 8-5. This then went to 9-5 for Shaun with the Englishman only a frame away from capturing the title. What happened next was a snooker miracle with the magic of snooker always being reserved for a final. Mark Williams duo deep into his world class vault and produced snooker that threw everything at Murphy including the kitchen sink. Williams went up gear after gear to take the match to a decider. At 9-9, the pressure was on both players to get the job done. Perhaps the pressure was laid higher in Williams’ corner as he had already climbed s mountain higher than Snowdon just to match his opponent. Murphy who had been largely staring at his opponent and the ceiling for the latter play, was cold but in a strange way, refreshed as he dodged the flames of the Welsh dragon to cross the winning line first.
This 10-9 victory by Shaun Murphy will go down in the snooker history books as one of the best finals ever played. Murphy lived up to his snooker nickname as he weaved in and out of frames to capture the China Championship. Even when the chips were down and Williams was breathing down his neck and had one hand on the trophy, the “Magician “ pushed him aside and played a frame of snooker that any amateur or professional player would sell their high teeth to be involved in yet alone play. Shaun has been in touching distance of trophies for several tournaments this season but had been blasted away with stronger opponent. Mark Williams May be a cool and laid back character externally but today he must be bitterly disappointed that his late surge wasn’t enough to capture this famous title. All credit to both players to both players for making this a final to remember. This match could have been dubbed a snooker soap opera having high drama and suspense that filled the Chinese auditorium to the rafters. If anyone who thinks snooker is boring, take a seat and watch this match in replay mode, you won’t be disappointed and you will become an avid snooker fan as a result.
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