Football style celebrations could be coming to snooker events – if Shaun Murphy has anything to do with it.
The Magician, who set up a Masters final with Kyren Wilson after a sensational performance against Mark Allen, is known for interacting with the crowd during matches – and let all his emotion out after a stunning 147 break in the semi-final clash. His fist pumps and interaction with fans sparked a conversation about whether such displays, just like celebrations from top football stars like Chelsea hero Cole Palmer, should become more common in the sport.
And it’s something that 2005 world champion Murphy would like to see, believing it can bring fans closer to the sport. He told SportsBoom: “I’ve been consistent in my confusion around other players and their lack of interaction with the crowd. If you went to the West End and at the end of the show the cast just walked off, you would feel a little hard done to.
“I suppose I am a bit of a performer and maybe if I wasn’t a snooker player, maybe I would’ve found my way into that kind of world. So, I think it’s important to give the crowd everything you can as well. They give you their support. The crowd were unbelievable today. It would’ve been weird if I’d just walked off.”
When asked if he might develop a signature celebration, like football stars Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer, Murphy remained open to the idea but said it would depend on the setting, he added: “Listen, who knows. I mean, it won’t work at a qualifier in Leicester. That’ll be weird. But I get a lot from the crowd.
“They give me an extra five or 10 percent, which you don’t get in a small quiet arena. The crowd make it. And we all remember playing in the pandemic behind closed doors. Nobody enjoyed that. So having gone through that, I’m grateful for every match I play in front of a packed audience.”
After securing his first 147 maximum at a Triple Crown event, he added: “I’ve never really come close until the other day when I finished behind the blue. When it became apparent it was a good chance, I just was thinking, don’t finish behind the blue, don’t mess it up, don’t mess it up. And I didn’t. It’s the loudest roar I’ve ever heard in a snooker arena. I’ve never heard or experienced anything like that. It was absolutely sensational. I have to say the crowds here this week have been unbelievable.”