‘Scandalous’ – Shaun Murphy makes impassioned plea for changes to snooker’s two biggest events

Shaun Murphy feels there should be key changes to snooker’s two biggest events – the World Championship and Masters.

The 2005 world champion – who also reached the final in 2009, 2015 and 2021 – believes the top 16 players in the world should be forced to qualify for the last 32 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield alongside the sport’s lesser lights.

Despite himself benefiting from the protection of a seeding, the world No. 9 said: “I think it’s absolutely ridiculous, scandalous almost that the best players in the world start three rounds ahead of everyone else.

“If it were up to me, the entire format of the World Championship would change. The top 16 would never start three or four rounds ahead of everyone else.

“Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, the equivalent is saying: ‘Usain, we know you’re the quickest so you can start 15 metres ahead of everyone else’. Doesn’t make any sense to me at all.”

Murphy won the Masters in 2015 with a 10-2 triumph against Neil Robertson at Alexandra Palace in London.

He feels the time is right the sport’s biggest invitational event to make the transition to full world ranking status, arguing that every player on the circuit has the chance to qualify for the tournament over a two-year period.

“If it were up to me all events would count on the money list. That would be the only think I would change about the Masters,” he said on the onefourseven podcast.

“I think it’s very, very strange that what has widely become acknowledged as our second biggest tournament in the game doesn’t count.

“I think that’s a weird one and I don’t subscribe to the arguments against that.”

Murphy returns to action against Gary Wilson in the first round of the British Open on 26 September.

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