A Historic Performance in Taiyuan
Shaun Murphy delivered a masterclass at the China Open in Taiyuan, rewriting the snooker record books with a dominant 6-0 victory over Matthew Selt. Murphy achieved a staggering 607 unanswered points, surpassing the previous record of 556 points held by Ronnie O’Sullivan since the 2014 Masters.
The performance, which saw Murphy reach the last 16 of the tournament, was defined by clinical scoring. Murphy produced four consecutive century breaks—a feat he has now accomplished twice in his career, joining elite company alongside Mark Allen and Neil Robertson. His run of points was only broken in the final frame when Selt finally potted a red ball.
Chasing Perfection
The intensity of Murphy’s play was evident throughout the match. In the fifth frame, the Englishman came close to a maximum 147 break, falling just short at 113 after missing the 15th black. Reflecting on his achievement, Murphy told the World Snooker Tour (WST) that he intentionally avoided checking the record during the match to maintain his focus.
“I knew I was close, but at the interval I didn’t want to go looking on any websites to check what the record was,” Murphy said. “If you find yourself in the bubble and in the flow, you just want to stay in it.”
Tournament Stakes
The China Open, returning to the WST calendar for the first time since 2019, is currently being held in Taiyuan. The tournament carries a significant prize purse of £250,000 for the winner, making it a critical juncture in the 2026-27 season. While Murphy celebrated his historical feat, other top seeds faced a difficult start. World number one Judd Trump suffered a 6-3 defeat to Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham, a result that puts his top ranking in jeopardy as the season progresses.
As the tournament moves toward the later stages, Murphy’s form has established him as a primary contender for the title, while the field remains wide open following the exits of several high-profile players, including Mark Williams and Ding Junhui.