Tour Championship: Shaun Murphy battles past Mark Selby to set up final with Kyren Wilson
- Planet Sport writer
- 2 April 2023
Shaun Murphy will face Kyren Wilson in Sunday’s Duelbits Tour Championship final in Hull after edging a thrilling last-four clash with Mark Selby.
Following an afternoon session that finished with the players level at 4-4, Murphy went 6-4 up early in the evening, registering the contest's first century break with a 100 in frame 10.
And after Selby rallied with breaks of 99 and 75, Murphy subsequently claimed each of the next three frames to move within one of victory.
Selby - who would have regained the world number one spot with victory - then fought back once again in impressive style to force a decider, posting breaks of 81, 78 and 106 along the way, but could not keep up the momentum in the finale as Murphy, with a 59, emerged with the 10-9 triumph.
Murphy, looking to make it consecutive tournament successes in the series having won the Players Championship in February, said on ITV3: "He (Selby) never knows when he's beaten and goodness knows he's beaten me on enough of these big nights.
"He beat me in the World Championship final a couple of years ago. We've had so many great matches. Tonight was another one of those.
"It's a massive event, great series, it's just Kyren and me left and I can't wait to go head to head with him.
"If he plays like he did in his previous match (the 10-5 win over Ding Junhui in which he made six centuries) we needn't bother, we'll just save everyone the mess and call it a day!
"But I'm looking forward to it, I think it will be a really good day for us both and one of us will be stood here with the trophy."
Selby said: "I gave it everything, I never give in - that's my attitude, until the last ball is potted.
"I sort of fell asleep a little bit in the second session, I lost a bit of concentration. But I gave it my all from 9-6, had half a chance in the decider.
"All credit to Shaun, I thought he played great, he looked like he was going to score at every single chance he got, and I wish him all the best in the final."
