Shaun Murphy has done what the Crucible curse demands: he sent defending champion Zhao Xintong packing, winning 13-10 to book a semi-final date with John Higgins. Zhao becomes the 21st first-time winner to fail to return the following year and defend the title, a tradition as reliable as a bad snooker pun.
Murphy, 43, turned an 8-8 deadlock into a 12-9 lead by winning four of the first five frames in the final session. Zhao clawed one back, but Murphy sealed it with a break of 69. “I knew nothing but my best would do,” said the 2005 champion, who has been finding form since squeaking past Fan Zhengyi 10-9 in the first round. “It’s one of the best wins of my career.”
Zhao, gracious in defeat, told BBC Sport: “Shaun played perfect snooker today. He deserved to win. I felt some pressure as defending champion, but I still felt all right.” Which is more than the Crucible curse usually allows.
Murphy now faces John Higgins, who survived an attritional 13-10 win over 2010 champion Neil Robertson. The four-time world champion started the final session 9-7 behind, then won three frames in a row and gritted out a break of 52 to cross the line. “It’s a great achievement to get back to that one table,” said Higgins after booking his 12th Crucible semi-final. “I’m just proud I’m still in there fighting.”
Mark Allen also advanced, capitalizing on a Barry Hawkins blunder that would haunt the 2013 runner-up. With the match poised at 11-11, Hawkins fluked a red but then came up short on a simple safety shot, handing Allen the chance to clear up and win 13-11. “I wouldn’t have fancied going 12-12,” said Allen. “My heart sank when he fluked that red.” Hawkins called his error “unforgivable” and admitted: “It’s a horrible feeling, knowing you played an absolutely terrible shot.”
Allen will next face 22-year-old Wu Yize, who hammered Hossein Vafaei 13-8 with 12 half-centuries or better, including an exquisite 135. Wu, widely considered China’s next star, now faces Allen with the winner set for their first Crucible final appearance. Allen, for his part, says: “The first hurdle is getting through that first round. Then you want to give yourself a chance on Sunday or Monday. I haven’t done that yet.”