‘He’s snooker’s Andy Murray’ – Stephen Hendry identifies star who ‘should have won a lot more with his talent’
STEPHEN HENDRY reckons Shaun Murphy is snooker’s Andy Murray, insisting the ace is top-class but has had to spend his career competing with some of the best in the business.
Murphy, 42, scooped his second Masters title on Sunday with a fine victory over Kyren Wilson at Ally Pally.
It means The Magician now has an impressive four Triple Crown titles, having also won a UK Championship and a World title.
He will now be hoping to add another of the latter to his collection as snooker’s stars gear up for the big one.
But potting legend Hendry reckons Murphy should have landed even more trophies by now.
The Scot reckons Magician has shown he is a top player in the game.
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But just like retired tennis legend Murray, Murphy has unfortunately played in an era featuring some of snooker’s greatest-ever stars.
Murray had to go up against aces like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - who he now coaches.
While Murphy has shared the stage with icons including Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump.
Hendry said: “He’s been in a period of players… he’s kind of like snooker’s Andy Murray.
“In a period where he’s been around Mark Selby, Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Judd Trump, Mark Williams, all these players.
“It was always going to be difficult to win more than one in that era.
“But he should have, he’s enough to me, he should have won more than one, that’s how good he is.”
Hendry continued: “His talent…he arguably should have won a lot more with his talent.
“He’s up there with the top three of all-time in terms of the talent to play snooker, his technique, all the shots he can play.
“There’s very few better. But it’s always been that thing: Does he have the concentration? Does he have the focus? Is he nasty enough?
“He was a different player last week. I think working with Peter Ebdon has focussed him. It was complete focus, even when he was in his chair he never took his eyes off the table, it was all serious.
“A lot of the time he looks around, his mind wanders, you can physically see his body language change, he’s too relaxed. But I thought he was on it all week, it was very impressive.”