Shaun Murphy has won the BetVictor Championship League Snooker – Ranking Edition beating Mark Williams in the final 3-0 live on Viaplay Xtra in the UK and broadcasters worldwide including Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and on Matchroom.Live.
Murphy reached his fourth ranking event final this year by coming through Group 1 on the final day starting out with a point against Xiao Guodong before three points against Chris Wakelin sured his position up at the top of the group standings before sharing the spoils with Robert Milkins to finish the group phase on five points and meet the winner of Group 2 in the first ranking event final of the new season.
Williams meanwhile pulled through against Noppon Saengkham in the decisive final match in Group 2 after starting the day with a point against Sam Craigie before seeing off Cao Yupeng 3-1 to set up a crunch clash with Saengkham for progression. That came after Saengkham had dispatched Cao 3-0 and shared the spoils with Craigie. Craigie finished the day second in the group but didn’t do enough in his contest with Cao to force himself into the picture.
The pair last met in a final back in 2019 at the China Championship where it was Murphy who came out on top and this final started out with the Magician taking the opening frame. In the second, Murphy stepped up with a brilliant 73 to edge one frame away from the title with Williams remaining in his chair. A final break of 69 gave Murphy victory in the third frame after Williams missed a red from distance to allow his counterpart in.
Murphy said: “I’m delighted. My team and I have been working really hard and we knew it was coming. I think that’s three of the last four events, I’ve been to the final and won. I am not sure what the secret is but I am doing something right. I shared at the end of last season my season goals for last season. I would be very keen on making goals and setting targets. Achieving number one on the world rankings is something I’ve never achieved, but it is on the list of goals I would like to hit this season and this has been the best possible start.”
The BetVictor Championship League Snooker – Ranking Edition carries a first prize of £33,000 and the winner also secures a spot in the 2023 Champion of Champions set to take place in Bolton from November 13-19 live on ITV.
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