2025 got off to a bang as Shaun Murphy defied the odds to win his second Masters title. With all of the pre-tournament attention being on Judd Trump and the late withdrawal of eight time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, the Magician was able to go about his business quietly as he advanced past Gary Wilson, Neil Robertson, Mark Allen and Kyren Wilson to win one of snooker’s most famous titles.
It had been ten years since Murphy had last tasted Masters success and when he knew he had done enough to finally edge past Kyren Wilson, the relief and sense of achievement over what he had accomplished was clear for all to see.
The Masters usually lives up to its reputation and this year’s tournament was no exception. Now that the dust has settled, let’s take a look at some of the storylines that emerged from Alexandra Palace.
The Magician picks the perfect time to conjure up some of his best snooker
Ahead of the 2025 Masters it’s fair to say that Shaun Murphy was considered as an afterthought. With Judd Trump looking to add the Masters to his UK Championship crown that he won a few months ago, many previewing the draw believed that the winner of the tournament would come from the semi final between Kyren Wilson and Trump but it was Murphy who was able to flip the form table on its head.
Coming into the tournament as the seventh ranked player in the world, he would have been pleased to have drawn the bottom ranked player in the field in the shape of Gary Wilson.
Dominating right from the off, Murphy quickly raced into a four zero lead only to see Wilson fight back to make the tie 4-3.
With the pressure on, Murphy regained his composure to win two frames in succession and close out the match 6-3.
Next in Murphy’s way was another former World Champion in the shape of Neil Robertson. Robertson, who had battled past John Higgins 6-5 in the opener, headed into the contest tired.
Sensing an opening the Englishman blew past his Australian opponent with ease and advanced to the semis.
Starting the semifinal against long term rival Mark Allen as the underdog, Murphy showed no signs of slowing and in a contest that ebbed and flowed, it was Murphy who held his nerve to take the contest 6-3 and book his place in his first Masters final in ten years.
The match will forever be remembered for Murphy’s 147. In completing a maximum he became only the fifth man in Masters history to achieve the feat.
Standing in his way and a second Masters title was current World Champion and world number two Kyren Wilson.
Once again Murphy would start the final as the underdog, but having enjoyed the better of the head to head between the pair, Murphy played some of the very best snooker of his career to reach the halftime interval holding a 6-2 lead.
With the break coming at an unfortunate time, Wilson showed exactly why he is a World Champion and started a stirring comeback. Clawing back the deficit to 8-7, the match was very much in the balance but it was Murphy who best held his nerve.
Able to win a vital 16th frame, Murphy moved to a 9-7 lead and stood on the brink of victory. Wanting to close the match out at the first time of asking, once in amongst the balls the man from Sheffield made no mistake and after sinking the winning ball, the emotion took over.
Banking a record £350,000 for his win, Murphy now stands on the brink of re-entering the world’s top five and will be wanting to keep his form up in the lead up to the 2025 World Championship. A major contender in that tournament, if Murphy can bring this level of form to the table, nobody will want to face him.
Hope for those chasing a spot in the top 16 before March cut off
Only those inside the top 16 in the snooker world rankings are assured of their place at the Crucible in April and all eyes are on the March cut off, when those inside the top 16 will be confirmed of their place.
With the race to join that club at fever pitch, the Masters offered up an opportunity for those near the bubble to strengthen their cause of having to avoid qualification for the game’s biggest showpiece. However, at the conclusion of the event it would have been those ranked just outside the top 16 who would have been smiling.
World number 16 Gary Wilson, world number 15 Chris Wakelin and world number 14 John Higgins all suffered first round defeats and were unable to move away from the chasing pack. Their defeats could be pivotal.
With just £70,000 separating Higgins in 14th spot and Neil Robertson in 20th, the race is well and truly on between several players as to who will receive automatic entry into the World’s. The narrative is likely to change constantly over the next few weeks and months and will be a storyline to follow with real interest.
Despite setting more records, Trump comes up short in bid to win second leg of the Triple Crown
Judd Trump is one of just a few select men who have been able to win all three legs of snooker’s famed Triple Crown, but his hopes of winning all three in the same season were dashed when the world number one fell in the semifinals to old adversary Kyren Wilson.
Having reached the semifinals having played some truly wonderful snooker, many were convinced that the Paul Hunter trophy had Trump’s name on it, but despite having set a new record for the most amount of prize money won in a single season, Trump came up well short when it mattered most.
Leading 3-2 in his eagerly awaited semifinal against Wilson, the World Champion saved his best for last and powered past the world number one in emphatic fashion.
Whilst Trump isn’t one to linger on his losses, this loss would have hurt and he will hope to bounce back as the season continues to roll on.
Trump has been able to pair his extreme talent with consistency but it’s still amazing to think that all that talent has still only yielded one world title. Trump will want to underline his status in the game as the sports best player by the time that the World Championship rolls around, but he will need to move on from this defeat quickly and find a way to beat Wilson who of late seems to have his number.
The two look set to be on a collision course at the Crucible, but this time it will be Trump who will hope to come out on top.
Jonathan Ashby
Jonathan Ashby, at 35, boasts a deep well of knowledge about the world of snooker. A specialist with a passion for the game's history, techniques, and players, he provides invaluable insights to both novices and seasoned enthusiasts. Through his articles, Jonathan aims to share the rich tapestry and nuances of this beloved cue sport.
 (1).webp)
