Video: "Best break of my life" in 9-9 decider keeps former Champ alive at the Snooker World Championship

Snooker is a sport where anything is possible. This was yet again showcased at the Crucible on Tuesday night, as Shaun Murphy found himself just a couple of balls away from elimination in his World Championship 1st round match against the young Fan Zhengyi.

Fan was barely 4 years old when Murphy won his world title in 2005, but the rank #63 challenger still put up an impressive fight during the match. Finally at 9-9 after the lead had changed 7 times across the match, it all came down to just one frame.

Both players were clearly feeling the heat, as even the former World Champion scuffed a couple of easy chances to put a break together. Fan fared a little better, but even his attempt to close out the match finished with the scores at 53-17.

Enter Shaun Murphy. With three reds stuck to the back cushion along with the black, some snooker magic was on the menu. The aptly named "Magician" duly obliged, cannoning the reds to more pottable positions with a crisp pot on the pink and making no mistakes.

The final colors were a simple procession for Murphy, who took the frame and the match 10-9, earning himself another trip to the Crucible to face Fan's compatriot Xiao Guodong in the second round.

- I can't believe I won with the balls being how they were. That was the best break of my life given what was at stake, and I'm so proud. The most nerve-racking moment of my life outside of snooker was my driving test, and this was 50 times worse, Murphy told WST after the match.

- I was already mentally preparing my loser's speech, I've got no clue how that turned around. Fan played a great match, he had more than one foot in the second round. I didn't want to be the first seeded player to go out this year, Murphy added.

In Tuesday's other first round bouts Judd Trump defeated Gary Wilson 10-5, while a fully Chinese affair between Wu Yize and Lei Peifan ended in Wu dishing out a proper beating to his fellow countryman with a 10-2 scoreline.

Watch the video below to see Murphy's "best break of my life" and enjoy some top-quality snooker!



Below you can find all the results, scores and schedule of the first round at the Snooker World Championship.






Source: WST