Shaun Murphy disappointed with Triple Crown haul: 'I should have more to show for things'

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Shaun Murphy has won each Triple Crown title once but would end his career disappointed if he doesn’t add to his tally.

The Magician became a star of the sport thanks to his unexpected World Championship win in 2005, then added the UK Championship to his collection in 2008 and the Masters in 2015.

Only 11 players in the history of snooker have completed the Triple Crown so it is a superb achievement, but it is not quite enough for Murphy.

The 42-year-old has been to three more Crucible finals, another two UK finals and lost the 2012 Masters final three years before he claimed that title.

He feels he should already have more trophies in his cabinet, but also feels he has plenty of time to collect the biggest prizes in the sport.

‘I probably shouldn't say this but I will put it on record that if I end my career with only one of each of those three tournaments I will be slightly disappointed,’ Murphy said ahead of the UK Championship, which starts on Saturday.

‘I feel like I should have more to show for things, when you see players winning five, six and seven of these tournaments.

‘I am very happy with my one win in each, but I feel there could have been more and perhaps should have been more.

‘I've got plenty of years left, we've got some old timers like Mark Williams showing us that we can all keep doing it for a long time to come, but you'd want to be winning a few of these events soon.

‘In fairness I think I've always been consistent in saying that multiple winners of these Triple Crown events are slightly different from the one-time winners. It [the UK Championship] is another opportunity to join that club and I'll give it my best shot.’

Murphy has been a consistent force at the top of the sport for almost 20 years, so there has been little wrong with his game, and he isn’t sure why he hasn’t landed more of the very biggest titles.

‘I don't know, to tell you the truth,’ he said. ‘If I knew the answer I would have fixed it by now!

‘I think most of my Triple Crown finals that I've lost have been really high quality matches where the opponent has played incredible snooker. The 2015 World final against Stuart [Bingham], that was an incredible match, I think there was something like 30 breaks over 50, it was an incredibly high standard.

‘I think that has been the pattern. I don't remember losing many of these matches that were rubbish. Maybe it's the odd little shot here or there, maybe over the years I have attacked when I should have defended, or even vice-versa. Whatever it is, I am proud that I have those trophies, but I'd like more.’

Murphy kicks off his campaign in York on Saturday afternoon against Zhao Xintong, a former champion who has come through qualifying after his return from a ban from the sport.

The Magician sees this year’s event as incredibly difficult to call, with contenders throughout the field.

‘I think it's just as wide open as ever,’ he said. ‘We trot out the same things every single year, but it is true and it's been true for about 20 years, they are the most open they've ever been.

‘I know these events traditionally favour the bigger names and the more traditional winners, but that tide is turning and we are starting to see some names that you wouldn't have thought at the start of the season mixing it for silverware.

‘When I lost to Xiao Guodong at the Wuhan Open and he played snooker from the gods, I didn't necessarily think he'd go on and win the tournament, I didn't necessarily think he'd be in the mix in Nanjing [International Championship] and certainly didn't think he'd be in the final of Champion of Champions.

‘Don't be surprised if somebody like that is in the mix. Everyone can play, they've all got the shots. It is literally about whether you can do it in front of a packed house when it matters. That is the only difference and we're starting to see a bit of a change, I think.’