Snooker star Shaun Murphy has been praised for a moment of sportsmanship during his opening match at the World Grand Prix.
The reigning Masters champion began his quest for another title in Hong Kong but was met with a last minute change of opponent after Stephen Maguire pulled out due to health reasons.
The Scot was replaced by Ben Woolaston who could do little to prevent Murphy making a strong start to the match on Tuesday.
However, a decisive moment occurred when Murphy saw a red hit his hand and despite referee Maike Kesseler missing the incident, ‘The Magician’ owned up to the foul.
Murphy’s moment of honesty came back to haunt him as Woolaston took full advantage by going on to win the opening frame in the best-of-seven match.
But his actions drew widespread approval not least from snooker star and co-commentator for the match Dominic Dale.
“Shaun has declared a foul on himself there and you can see that the red came back off the pack of reds and made contact with the bridge hand of Shaun Murphy. Well that is very good of Shaun to declare such a foul,” Dale told TNT Sports.
“It’s something that we’re proud of in our sport here, that so many snooker players are very courteous to one another. And they do declare fouls upon themselves.”
“It’s amazing how matches can turn around in a rather innocuous fashion really. Shaun looked fantastic so early on in that first frame, then developed the reds and from nowhere a red has sprung out the pack.
“It’s commendable that he did that, but it cost him the frame and something like that happening can turn a match around in no time at all. Especially in matches of as short a duration as these are, a best of seven.”
The World Grand Prix is the first staging of a ranking event in Hong Kong for 35 years and one that involves the top 32 players on the One Year List playing for the £180,000 prize.
Murphy is desperate for the qualifying points in Hong Kong to help lock in a seeding spot at the next month’s World Championships.
tnt sportsMurphy immediately told the referee of his foul[/caption]
tnt sportsReplays showed the moment the red ball hit Murphy’s hand[/caption]
As it stands, the 2005 champion is set to miss out meaning he would have to play two qualifying rounds.
“As a former winner of this event, it’s a real thrill to see the tournament take on a new perspective,” Murphy said.
“This is the World Grand Prix, it isn’t the UK Grand Prix. Where could be better to stage the event than Hong Kong.
“What a place. It has an incredible mixture of cultures and mixture of people. This is a real melting pot of the world. It is a feather in snooker’s cap that we are here.
“I’m that bit nearer to not having to go to the qualifiers. It is the thing that is keeping me awake at night. It’s what is motivating me. I check the rankings every day.”
