"Zhao Xintong established an early 3-0 lead only for the 43-year-old Murphy to come back powerfully into the best of 25 frames contest. Murphy's superb red to the middle pocket led to a break of 69 from the bottom of the pack, with Zhao unable to get the snooker he required to prolong the contest."
"Shaun played really well, he gave me big pressure and played perfect snooker today, Zhao told the BBC. I felt some pressure [as defending champion] but I still felt alright. I tried to get better, but Shaun is a good player and he played very well so congratulations to him."
"Murphy's victory means the Englishman is now just two wins away from a second world title, 21 years after lifting snooker's most prestigious trophy. Zhao added: I'm looking forward to the new season, I can have a rest now and I'm happy. Hopefully next season I will have a strong comeback."
Zhao Xintong, the defending champion, lost to Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals of the world snooker championship with a score of 13-10. Zhao, who made history as the first Chinese world champion, established an early lead but Murphy made a strong comeback. This defeat continues the trend of first-time champions not retaining their title at the Crucible Theatre since 1977. Despite the loss, Zhao expressed optimism for the next season and acknowledged Murphy's skill in the match.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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