Shaun Murphy shrugs off Ronnie O'Sullivan's concerns about 'rowdy' Ally Pally atmosphere - 'It's magical'
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Published 07/01/2024 at 23:42 GMT
Ronnie O'Sullivan has expressed concerns about the "rowdy" atmosphere during the Masters at Alexandra Palace but Shaun Murphy has a contrasting opinion. The 2015 winner - who is searching for a fourth Triple Crown - claims the "boisterous" crowd is what makes the tournament "so special". Stream the action live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com.
'So rewarding' - Murphy delighted festive work paid off as he reaches Masters quarter-final
Shaun Murphy has shrugged off concerns Ronnie O'Sullivan made about the "rowdy" atmosphere during the Masters at Alexandra Palace.
Ahead of his first round match against Ding Junhui on Monday – live on Eurosport and discovery+ – the seven-time world champion claimed he doesn't "really like the rowdiness" at the famous London venue.
But speaking after his convincing 6-2 win over Zhang Anda on Sunday night, Murphy insisted the noise the fans generate at the Triple Crown event is what "makes this tournament so special".
Discussing O'Sullivan's remarks in the Eurosport studio, Murphy said: "I'm not sure that any of us have ever had the support that Ronnie gets. I'm very thankful for the support that I get and I always get a great welcome at every arena that we play in.
"The crowd here is very respectful. They are a little more boisterous than the average UK crowd but that's part of what makes this tournament so special.
"And for the 16 players who are lucky enough to be in the draw every year, it's magic – you wouldn't be anywhere else.
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"It [the Masters] is totally different. It's a cliche that anybody can beat anybody, but it gets said because it's true. Every single one of these ties could be a final of an event."
Murphy made an impressive start to his Masters campaign as the 2015 winner bids for a fourth career Triple Crown. And the 41-year-old feels some extra time on the practice table during the festive holidays is paying off.
He said: "Really pleased. I’ve played quite well this year until the back end of last year, the last month of 2023 wasn’t great. I felt like my game was on the tilt a little bit and I wasn’t getting the results.
"I’ve worked really hard over the festive period, which is unlike me as I normally would put the cue down and not play. It’s so rewarding to see that come out when it mattered the most, regardless of what else happens this week."
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Murphy continued: "When I lost in the Scottish Open, we were trying to work out where it had gone wrong. What had happened to the player who won three tournaments last year? I just felt that perhaps I wasn’t quite putting in enough time on my own. Maybe that was the first part of the puzzle, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.
"So, I decided that when I was back in Dublin I would not go out all the time and not get involved in the parties and the Christmas spirit, and get stuck in on the table.
"It's nice to have put the work in and when those balls go where you mean them to, it's very pleasing."
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