Shaun Murphy began his quest for a second world title in style as he cruised his way into the second round of the World Snooker Championship with a 10-5 victory over Lyu Haotian at the Crucible.
Murphy started the session with a 6-3 lead and was looking to carry on where he left off when he punished China’s Haotian from 38 points behind to pinch the opening frame to extend his advantage to four.
Murphy secured the next to make it five consecutive frames but Haotian won two out of the next three to extend the tie slightly.
A relaxed Murphy did not sweat and – with the 2005 world champion just needing a solitary frame for the win – he wrapped it up in style with a break of 81 to put himself into the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2021.
Murphy told the BBC: “I haven’t won a match since I beat Kyren Wilson here in 2021.
“It’s such a relief, it’s so rewarding and pleasing, I haven’t won a match here for a few seasons. I’m delighted to have got that win and in the second round of the tournament.”
Stuart Bingham stormed into an impressive three-frame lead to give him a healthy advantage at the end of the first session, leading Gary Wilson 6-3.
Bingham started in tremendous fashion, falling just two points short of an opening-frame century break and he rattled off the next three before Wilson made his mark on the scoreboard.
Bingham responded straight away with a 117 break to go 5-1 up and already put daylight between himself and Wilson, who many expected to challenge for the title.
Staring down the barrel of an early exit, Wilson’s session-high 60 break came in the final frame but a missed black helped Bingham swoop and almost clear the table until he himself missed a routine black, which his opponent sunk to reduce the deficit to three.