SHAUN SAD FOR LOST PAL
Murphy makes a surprise early exit, then pays tribute to his ex-manager
SHAUN MURPHY paid an emotional tribute to his former manager after falling at the first hurdle at the Betfred World Championship yesterday.
The 2005 world champion lost 10-4 yesterday to qualifier Noppon Saengkham, 28, just over two weeks since the death of World Snooker Tour director Brandon Parker.
Saengkham, from Thailand, becomes only the third player from his nation to win a match at the iconic venue after James Wattana and Dechawat Poomjaeng.
But, for Murphy, sadness over the recent loss of a close friend and pioneer of the sport in Germany and Europe far outweighed his early exit.
Parker, 55, managed many players, including Murphy, Neil Robertson, Paul Hunter, Matthew Stevens, Barry Hawkins, Ryan Day and, most recently, Kyren Wilson.
He died at his Portugal home after a long illness.
Murphy, 37, admitted: “That performance did come as a surprise to me, I didn’t see it coming. My form has been good this season, so it was a shock. But I can say for sure the build-up to the tournament had no impact. I came here wanting to honour Brandon’s memory.
“You dream of winning the title and dedicating it to him, but I’d never dishonour him by saying that caused me a problem. I did attend his funeral in Portugal, then isolated. If it had meant missing this, I’d still have gone. This is just snooker.”
Saengkham said: “It is definitely the biggest win of my life. Normally in big competitions my hand is shaking a little, I was trying so hard to concentrate today.
“I didn’t believe I could beat Shaun, it’s a great honour and everyone in Thailand will be proud, as am I!”
Tournament veteran John Higgins knows the warning signs when Ronnie O’Sullivan is cutting loose.
Four-time world champion Higgins (right) turned professional in
1992, the same year as The Rocket – and they have a great rivalry.
The tournament takes place in an empty Crucible after the Government did a U-turn on reduced-capacity crowds. But O’Sullivan revelled without pressure from fans in recording the fastest-ever, first-round win.
Higgins, 45, has had an extended family member fall victim to the coronavirus, but ahead of today’s last-16 clash with Norwegian Kurt Maflin, he allowed himself a wry comment about O’Sullivan.
“We know there are much more important things going on – and we are lucky to be playing,” said Higgins.
“But if how Ronnie played in the first round is how it’s going to be, we’d all better look out. And if that’s what happens when he plays without a crowd, we need to get that vaccine pretty quick, in the next couple of days, and get them back in.
“But seriously, the lockdown has made all of us appreciate more what we do – and the game.”