World Snooker Championship 2026: Shaun Murphy Lifts Lid on John Higgins’ Classy Post-Match Message

2005 world snooker champion Shaun Murphy has booked his place in a fifth Crucible final, 21 years after his first, after edging out four-time champion John Higgins in a gripping semi-final clash.

The best-of-33 encounter delivered four sessions of high-quality, tactical snooker, packed with momentum swings and nerve-shredding drama. Higgins appeared in control for large spells and led 15-13 in the final session, but Murphy produced a stunning late surge, reeling off the last four frames to seal a 17-15 victory.

The decisive frame proved heartbreaking for Higgins, who looked poised to force a decider at 16-16 before missing a routine black off the spot. A brief safety exchange followed, but Murphy held his nerve to clinch the win.

Post-Match Respect Between Rivals

Despite the crushing nature of the defeat, Higgins showed his class immediately after the match, sharing a warm embrace with Murphy.

Reflecting on their exchange, Murphy told SportsBoom.co.uk: “He was just very complimentary, you know, class act on and off the table. He's an absolute pros, pro.”

From Idol to Rival

Seven years younger than his opponent, the 43-year-old went on to explain just how much of an idol John Higgins had been during his early days as a professional. 

As a young player finding his feet on tour, Murphy even spent time with Higgins, who welcomed him into his home and helped him learn the ropes, underlining the full-circle nature of their journeys.

In a fitting twist, the apprentice has now overcome the master, avenging his defeat to Higgins when they last met on snooker’s biggest stage in the 2009 World Championship final.

“He's been an idol of mine since I was a kid. I got to spend a lot of time with John as a young pro learning the ropes, watching him,” Murphy added. 

“He invited me to stay with him, him and Denise and the family. I did that two or three times, made the trip from Irthlingborough to Glasgow in my little Ford Fiesta, that was a long drive. They welcomed me into their home as a young kid, trying to learn the ropes.”

In many ways, this semi-final marked a full-circle moment, Murphy overcoming a player who once mentored him, having previously lost to Higgins in the 2009 World Championship final.

Tribute to Higgins’ Lasting Impact

Murphy was also keen to highlight Higgins’ contributions to the sport beyond the table, praising his enduring influence within the game.

“A lot of the pros, John included, put a lot into the game that people didn't see. They gave a lot back, and of course we culminate playing today in a great match where one of us had to lose, one of us goes through.”

“It was an honour to share the stage with John.”

Murphy now heads into the final brimming with momentum, where he will face either Wu Yize or Mark Allen in a clash that promises to tell a very different story to his epic with John Higgins.

Chasing a second world crown, Murphy will be the more experienced figure at the table, with his opponent bidding to secure a maiden Crucible title, setting up a fascinating contrast in experience and ambition on snooker’s biggest stage.