Shaun Murphy gets WST response over incident that left star seething | Other | Sport

Snooker bosses have informed an outraged Shaun Murphy that Light-gate was the result of a technical fault. The 2005 champion was incensed on Tuesday evening at the World Championships when the lights on the neighbouring table flickered back on just as he was playing a crucial shot at 8-8 against Fan Zhengyi.

Murphy immediately spoke to officials backstage after the frame and, despite returning to clinch the match 10-9, his fury remained undiminished as he awaited the outcome of an inquiry. He said: “We don’t ask for much as snooker players. Leave the lights off is one of them. It affected the shot, it affected the match. That was poor. That shouldn’t happen.

“I’ve never seen the light come on a table here, just phantom. I came off the table straight after that frame and happened to see the tournament director in the corridor.

“I said: Regardless of whether I win or lose, I think we need to look into what’s happened here. These are basics, but weird things happen at the Crucible. It’s only a few years since we had a pigeon in here.”

Murphy received his answer the following evening when a WST spokesperson confirmed: “This unfortunate incident was caused by a technical issue and we are taking steps to prevent it from happening again.”

Murphy also took a further swipe at a spectator who became rather vocal during the opening session of his victory over Zhengyi. He took to social media during the afternoon interval to hit back at a spectator who had shouted “s**t shot” at him, but delivered a more detailed account once the match had concluded, pulling no punches.

Murphy said: “I’ve got no idea where they were, I think they were sat on the front row. I played a blue in and out of baulk, as it came round I clipped the green, came off the cushion, cannoned into the reds. It was pretty much the shot I played, it was actually quite a good shot, I’ve definitely played worse shots.

“Then literally as the applause died down, he went “s*** shot.” It’s unlike me, I would normally confront somebody like that because we’re not football, you don’t behave like that at the Crucible.

“As I got down to play the next red, I was still thinking: Jeez, maybe they’ve had a bit too much hospitality, they might have been enjoying the beer a bit too much.

“And before I knew it I’d missed the red. It was a lesson, I suppose, that if you’re disturbed, start again.”