Tour Championship: Shaun Murphy battles past Mark Selby to set up final with Kyren Wilson
Shaun Murphy reacts
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."
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