Shaun Murphy is a world-class snooker player who is known for his long potting and straight cue action. In his career, he has been able to achieve over 400 century breaks. This includes the second highest break in the Championship League for 2014.
Murphy was ranked number 3 in the world at start to the 2008/2009 Season. He fell to number seven during the 2010/2011 campaign. He won the Players Tour Championship that year and finished his career Triple Crown. Murphy was considered a huge underdog at the time, and it was a surprising win. In 2012, he reached the finals of the UK Championship. He was defeated by Judd Trump, the eventual winner.
Murphy is a skilled player who has won many firsts during his career. His first 147 break was his first, as well as his first ranking title and appearance at the World Snooker Championship.
In 1998, he began his professional career on the Challenge Tour (also known as the UK Tour). His father, Tony, was a professional golfer. He was bullied at school as a teen. He went to homeschooling classes but didn't see his mother until he was 19. Elaine, his wife, found him one year later. They were married in 2006. Despite family reservations, the couple got married in 2014.
Shaun has earned over PS3,000,000 in prize cash during his career. He has won seven non-ranking tournaments. He has also played in eight ranking tournaments and reached the quarterfinals of two.
At the start to the 2004/2005 season, his ranking was number four in world. He also won the Brugge Open and Welsh Open. He was also diagnosed with Savant Syndrome.
He won the World Championship 2005. He was awarded the BBC Sportsman of the YEAR award the following year. After that, he became a surgical resident at the San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital in California.
Murphy had trouble communicating with his peers as a young boy. His social skills could have been affected. Although he has had many complicated relationships with women, he is able to resolve these issues. Elaine, his girlfriend from one of his matches, was even proposing to him in a restaurant in Ireland.
Ray Reardon mentored him at 15 years of age. After Ray Reardon, he worked for Steve Prest until 2006. Willie Thorne served as his coach during the 2007/2008 seasons. He won the Challenge Tour's third- and fourth events.
Murphy won China's Wuxi Classic. He then entered the elite top 16. His next appearance was at the inaugural Northern Ireland Trophy. Despite having only five frames of qualifying, he reached the quarterfinals to beat teenager Luca Brecel.
He went on winning the German Masters, Ruhr Championships, and the inaugural Northern Ireland Trophy. He was ranked third for the entire 2008/2009 year. He also reached the semi finals of both the Shanghai Masters and UK Championship during that season.