CRUCIBLE BUBBLING FOR SEAN
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 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.
A relieved Murphy said: “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.”
Hossein Vafaei strongly criticised the conditions at the Crucible after crashing out in a 10-5 defeat by former champion Judd Trump.
The Iranian described the famous Sheffield venue as “smelly”, compared its practice facilities to “like playing in a garage”.
“Everything’s so bad – if you ask me if I want to come back here, I would tell you no way,” said Vafaei, who is no stranger to controversy after playing a rash break-off shot in his defeat by Ronnie O’Sullivan last year.
“Forget the history, you want to go somewhere really nice as a player. You walk round the Crucible and it smells really bad. You go to other countries, and everything is shiny. But here it’s completely different.
“The practice room – do you see anything special? I feel like I’m practising in a garage.”