Murphy faces familiar face

Shaun Murphy tomorrow embarks on his first major challenge to prove his stunning World Championship success this year 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.