Snooker Star's Fiery Outburst Over 'Despicable' Treatment
Professional snooker player Shaun Murphy has launched a scathing attack on tournament organisers Matchroom Sport, labelling the scheduling of his Champion of Champions match as 'nothing short of despicable'. The 2005 world champion's fury erupted after he was soundly beaten 4-1 by China's Lei Peifan in the opening match of the tournament in Leicester on Monday, November 10, 2025.
The Magician, as he is known, had just returned from a gruelling 36-hour journey from Nanjing, where he competed in the International Championship quarter-final against John Higgins on Thursday. Murphy expressed his disbelief at being scheduled to play first on Monday afternoon, a detail he claims he was only informed of on his journey home and then confirmed only on the morning of the match itself.
A 'Total Mockery' of the Event
In a passionate post-match interview with ITV4, the reigning Masters champion did not hold back. 'I conduct myself as professionally as I possibly can,' Murphy stated. 'I think the way I’ve been treated by Matchroom in this tournament is nothing short of despicable.'
His primary grievance centred on the fact that the tournament's group draw is seeded, yet he felt it was unfairly handled. Murphy pointed out that other players, including Mark Williams, Mark Allen, and Alfie Burden, who had not been competing in China, were given later slots in the week.
'They could have put those three in a group with somebody else who wasn’t in China... and they could have played today,' he argued. 'It’s made a total mockery of the event and an embarrassment of me. My reputation is something I take extremely seriously.'
Murphy described the poor communication and the physical toll of the travel, saying he found himself in a Leicester hotel 'not knowing what day it is or where I am' before being expected to perform at a professional level.
Matchroom's Response and the Scheduling Dilemma
In response to the outburst, Matchroom issued a statement acknowledging Murphy's frustrations. 'We spoke with Shaun after his match and completely understand his frustrations,' the organisers said. They clarified that the groups are based on seeding for transparency and fairness, not hand-picked as Murphy suggested.
The scheduling complexity arose because the event's groups were announced on October 31, but the daily schedule was only confirmed on November 8. This was to accommodate players still competing in the International Championship semi-finals in China. Murphy's group was scheduled for Monday because, of the players in it, he had progressed the furthest in China, reaching the quarter-finals.
Former world champion Ken Doherty offered a balanced view, sympathising with Murphy's jet lag and the lack of advanced notice, while also explaining the logistical challenges of the seeded format. 'You can understand his frustration,' Doherty said, highlighting the immense difficulty of recovering from such a long journey in time to compete.
