Shaun Murphy Survives Scare Against Young Prodigy
Shaun Murphy faced 14-year-old Wang Xinzhong at the International Championship in Nanjing, China, narrowly securing victory in a tense final frame decider. The former world and Masters champion advanced to the last 32 after an unexpectedly tough battle.
Wang had already impressed earlier in the tournament by defeating women’s world champion Bai Yulu and experienced player Robbie Williams. His win over Yulu was particularly notable, as she made the highest break ever by a woman in a ranking event with a 145, yet still lost.
In the opening stages of their matchup, Murphy dominated the first three frames, but Wang reacted strongly, taking five of the next six frames and coming within one of a remarkable upset. With composure and experience, Murphy produced breaks of 72 and 89 to seal the match.
“I’ve never seen anything like that. Ronnie [O’Sullivan] was good at 14, as were many others,” said Murphy, expressing admiration for Wang’s talent and potential.
With this victory, Murphy moves on to face Elliot Slessor in the next round, while Wang’s performance has already marked him as a future star of the sport.
Author’s Summary
Murphy narrowly triumphed over 14-year-old Wang Xinzhong in Nanjing, praising the prodigy’s exceptional skill and predicting a bright future for him.