Murphy denies spirited Lisowski fightback to book O’Sullivan last-four clash

ByEurosport

Updated 11/01/2024 at 23:06 GMT

Despite being made to work for it after putting together a four-frame lead, Shaun Murphy fought off a spirited comeback attempt from Jack Lisowski to win 6-3 and seal a spot in the 2024 Masters semi-finals. Murphy booked his place in the last four with a brilliant long pot in a black-ball decider, and will take on seven-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan for a place in the final.

‘What a pot to win it!’ – Black-Ball finish as Murphy beats Lisowski

Shaun Murphy beat Jack Lisowski 6-3 on Thursday evening to reach the last four of the Masters for the first time since 2020.

The world No. 7 will face Ronnie O’Sullivan in the semi-finals as ‘The Magician’ chases a second Masters title, while ‘The Rocket’ continued his bid for an eighth Masters crown after victory over Barry Hawkins.

Murphy started the match in blistering form and began with a break of 75 in just eight minutes to take the opening frame.

In response, Lisowski found his range with what Eurosport commentator Dave Hendon described an “absolute worldie” of a long red at the beginning of the second frame. A safety exchange followed but Lisowski capitalised on a poor mistake to wrap up the frame with a break of 77 and level at 1-1.

A rare poor safety shot by Murphy at the start of frame three went unpunished, and he was soon back to the table after Lisowski eft a red hanging over the pocket, making a fine total clearance of 131 in rapid fashion.

The mid-session interval was reached in just 51 minutes as Murphy led 3-1 following another impressive break of 76, compiled in only six minutes.

Following the break, a tightly contested frame was played out where both players put together promising breaks but lacked the quality to move too far ahead with routine misses.

Murphy produced a frame-winning chance with a superb cannon on three reds on the top cushion to open the pack, which allowed him to clear the rest of the table for 4-1.

The Magician rediscovered his earlier devastating form and threatened to run away with the tie as he put together his second 100+ break of the match – this time worth 123 – to move within a frame of victory at 5-1.

However, with the Alexandra Palace crowd desperate for more action and firmly behind ‘Jackpot’, they roared Lisowski on as he fired a three-ball plant to the bottom left and followed up with the blue off its spot to pull a frame back.

Lisowski looked back to his free-scoring best as he racked up 35 points in the next frame, but a simple miss on a red to the bottom right left the object ball lying over the pocket, inviting Murphy in.

Murphy looked on course to wrap up the frame as he knocked in a few off the black and then a tricky red into the left middle, but snookered himself on the pink to give Lisowski another chance.

Following a string of safety shots and some tactical exchanges, five fouls from Murphy on a frustrating red – two of which were nowhere near the target – handed Lisowski some crucial points as he closed the deficit to two frames at 5-3.

After cruising for the majority of the match, Murphy eventually got over the line, helped by a beautiful two-ball plant in a nailbiting final frame.

Lisowski looked as though he was in a position to clear the table but left himself in a tricky position on the black.

After a dramatic exchange on the deciding black, Murphy knocked in a wondrous long pot to the bottom left along the side rail to seal his win.

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