Murphy faces familiar face

SHAUN MURPHY today embarks on his first major challenge to prove his stunning World Championship success was not a flash in the pan.

The 23-year-old started off as a 150/1 outsider when he became the first qualifier since Terry Griffiths in 1979 to claim the sport’s ultimate prize, with an 18-16 victory over Matthew Stevens at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in May.

Now he opens his bid for the second most prestigious ranking title, the Travis Perkins UK Championship in York, against Nigel Bond, one of his closest friends on the circuit.