Murphy Edges Higgins 17-15 in Classic Semi-Final to Book Fifth Crucible Final

A Contest That Never Separated Them by More Than Two Frames

Shaun Murphy reached his fifth World Snooker Championship final on Saturday after defeating John Higgins 17-15 in a relentlessly tight semi-final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The match, which concluded in the fourth and final session, was one of the most closely contested of the entire tournament — the gap between the two players never exceeded two frames at any point across the entirety of the tie. Murphy, seeded eighth, will now face Wu Yize in Sunday's final after the Chinese player progressed from the opposite half of the draw.

Fourth Session Proves Decisive as Murphy Finds His Scoring Touch

Heading into the final session, Higgins held a 13-11 advantage — a lead built largely on his ability to capitalise when Murphy repeatedly squandered what appeared to be straightforward scoring opportunities in the preceding sessions. The Scot's composed, disciplined approach in close frames had proved the difference through much of the match. Murphy, however, responded immediately when play resumed, compiling back-to-back century breaks to level at 13-13 and finally address the early-break frailties that had cost him across the previous two days.

The momentum swung again when Higgins regained the lead and added a break of 88 to move two clear at the mid-session interval, making it 15-13. At that juncture, his renowned tenacity — a quality that has defined his four world title victories in 1998, 2009, 2018, and 2022 — appeared likely to carry him through. Murphy's response, however, was immediate and decisive. Runs of 105 and 78 brought him level at 15-15, and he subsequently moved ahead for the first time since the 17th frame. A missed black by Higgins in the following frame allowed Murphy to pounce and close out an 17-15 victory, securing his place in the final.

Murphy's Crucible Final Record in Context

Saturday's victory means Murphy has now appeared in five World Championship finals at the Crucible, having previously reached the title match in 2005, 2009, 2015, and 2024. His sole world title to date came in 2005, when he defeated Matthew Stevens. Should he win on Sunday, he would become only the fourth player in the modern era to claim multiple world titles at the Crucible, joining a list that includes Higgins himself, alongside Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby. At 43 years of age, Murphy would also become the oldest world champion since Ray Reardon lifted the trophy in 1978. (Career statistics sourced from CueTracker.)

Shaun Murphy – World Championship Final Appearances

2005 – Defeated Matthew Stevens 18-16 ✅
2009 – Lost to John Higgins 18-9 ❌
2015 – Lost to Stuart Bingham 18-15 ❌
2024 – Lost to Kyren Wilson 18-14 ❌
2026 – vs Wu Yize (pending)

'I Think I'm a More Mature Player' — Murphy Reflects on Two-Decade Journey

Speaking to the BBC after his victory, Murphy was candid about the psychological challenge of the closing stages, acknowledging how close Higgins came to overturning the tie when he moved two clear with five frames remaining. "At the interval, I was just saying to myself that you've done it before and can do it again if you get your chances," Murphy said. He was also generous in his assessment of his opponent: "John Higgins — what a player and what a man. The harder it gets out here, the tougher he gets and the better he plays."

Murphy was equally reflective when asked to compare his current form with the version of himself who won the title 21 years ago. "I think I'm a better player now. I think I'm a more rounded and mature player. I was 22, and that was 21 years ago," he said. "I think I'm a totally different prospect." That sense of accumulated experience has been evident throughout this year's tournament, with Murphy demonstrating a capacity to absorb pressure and respond in critical moments that perhaps eluded him in some of his earlier Crucible campaigns.

What to Expect in the Final

Murphy will face Wu Yize in the best-of-35 final, which begins on Sunday. Wu, 22, is contesting the first world final of his career and represents one of the most exciting young talents to have emerged from China's increasingly formidable snooker production line. The contrast in experience between the two finalists — Murphy's five Crucible finals against Wu's debut appearance on snooker's grandest stage — is likely to be a defining narrative across the next three sessions. Whether Murphy's proclaimed maturity proves the decisive factor remains to be seen.