Shaun Murphy paid tribute to his coach and former world champion Peter Ebdon after winning the British Open.
And he revealed his intention to become one of the world’s top performing stars again.
Murphy followed up his Masters triumph at the start of the year with victory in the FA Cup-style ranking event. He beat Anthony McGill 10-7 in the England vs Scotland final.
The 2005 world champion collected £100,000 for winning the ITV televised event after an impressive week on the table. It saw him beating the likes of Neil Robertson, Judd Trump and Mark Selby en-route to the final.
Murphy has been working under the guidance of Ebdon over the past year. Ebdon is no stranger to snooker success having beat snooker legend Stephen Hendry to win the 2002 World Championship.
When Murphy announced his link up Ebdon, he said he wanted to add steel and admitted he had “gone a bit gentle”.
Speaking to ITV shortly after winning the British Open title – taking the title from Mark Selby a year ago – Murphy said: “I lost all belief that winning big championships was in my life before I partnered with Peter.
“I thought the days of winning the big ones had gone. I thought I might steal a few Home Nations (ranking events) here and there or gradually slip down the rankings. But he has helped me regain that belief.”
‘Still think I’m dangerous on my day’
Murphy can certainly take a lot of belief after winning the Clive Everton Trophy – following what has been a memorable 2025 for him. It started by him winning the Masters – one of snooker’s biggest events in the calendar.
“I’ve a great team behind me who help me so much. When I am not feeling 100 per cent they push me on. For it all to come together today is extremely rewarding. Having Peter Ebdon in my corner was invaluable because he has done it himself so he understands how I am feeling out there.
“I’ve been watching the likes of Trump, Selby and Robertson winning multiple titles in a season. I would like to get back to that level. I still think I am dangerous on my day, so I just need to add consistency. I’ll be back on the practice table tomorrow.”
Main Image: Peter Ebdon with Shaun Murphy – ITV Sport
