Shaun Murphy has emphatically fired back after Kyren Wilson accused him of an ‘unprofessional’ act when they last faced off.
Murphy got the better of the defending world champion at the Masters as he prevailed 10-7 at the Alexandra Palace in January.
GettyMurphy was in a smiling mood after he overcame Wilson in January to win the Masters[/caption]
However, Wilson felt Murphy’s win was tainted because of something the latter did prior to the evening session of the final, and hinted at an unsavoury act in an interview with TNT Sports prior to this year’s world championship.
“I think, if people knew the story, people would understand and probably actually applaud me almost for what went on in that final,” Wilson said.
“Shaun knows full well what happened before the evening session of the Masters final. I don’t want to bad mouth anyone, but what he did before the evening session was uncalled for and quite unprofessional.”
However, Murphy has returned serve in savage fashion via his onefourseven podcast and insisted he had ‘absolutely no idea’ what his rival was talking about.
“We regrouped in the dressing room following the first session,” Murphy said.
“We got changed, we went off into the car park. I ended up filling my car with washer fluid, that’s how rock n’ roll we are.
“Then we jumped in the car and went and found a car wash. Then we went to Starbucks, came back to the venue, got ready, and went to play the match.”
An ‘extremely disappointed’ Murphy then launched in with a stinging tirade.
“I think he has had a really good year as world champion – on and off the table,” Murphy said.
“But I’m extremely disappointed in him as a bloke.
AlamyThe defending world champ was not happy with an alleged act from Murphy[/caption]
“If he’s got something he wanted to say to me since January, and he’s left it until this week to say it… And then not only hasn’t come out and said it, he’s kind of said half a story, or not even half a story.
“He hasn’t had the bottle to call me out over whatever it is, and he has left everybody guessing.
“He had the nerve to call me unprofessional and call my reputation into question.
“How dare he do that, and then not even be man enough to then tell everyone what he’s talking about? I’m very disappointed in his behaviour.
“When I see him face-to-face, I’ll be telling him, because that’s not how I operate. That’s not how real people operate. I’m very, very disappointed in his behaviour.”
The war of words between the two snooker stars sets the stage for what would be a final laden with drama given Murphy and Wilson are on other sides of the draw.
Wilson, the No. 1 seed, begins his title defence with a first round clash against Lei Peifan.
As for Murphy, he is up against Welshman Daniel Wells.
