World Grand Prix Snooker: Sean Murphy claims impressive win over John Higgins to reach last 16

Sean Murphy put in a strong performance to beat John Higgins 4-0 and advance to the last 16 of the World Grand Prix.

The Englishman needed just 41 minutes to secure his first win in 11 years against Higgins at Leicester’s Morningside Arena.

Murphy had 99% position success while Higgins had little time to find his rhythm on the table.

‘The Magician’ started the match with a break of 145, the highest in World Grand Prix history.

“It’s a really stupid match,” he told ITV after the match. “It’s John Higgins, so I’ve never tried harder, it’s just all connected.

“The long game was good, the safety was good, and when we got into the game we were dangerous. When you play against a player from the 1992 selection, especially John, who I think highly of as a player, the equation is simple. Either one of us plays.’ If we don’t, we lose.”

After Murphy quickly opened up a 2-0 lead, Higgins decided to get on the table to find a rhythm and made a break of 52.

The Brit then put together the remaining two frames in quick succession to complete a whitewash victory over Higgins.

Asked if he knew he had tied Judd Trump’s tournament record, Murphy said, “I didn’t know. Good. Good company.”

He added: “I think in snooker you rely a lot on what your opponent does. It’s different from other sports in that respect.”

“Some long pots that John missed, he threw the ball straight at me, but if it went in, that’s another thing. If some long pots that I went for didn’t go in, that’s another thing. It’s just a matter of, everybody can do it.”Once you go in, you score, it’s just who goes in first, and today it was me. ”

Murphy last won a World Grand Prix title in 2016 and reached the semifinals last year, but fell short to eventual winner Trump.

other places Zhou Yuelong He also secured a place in the last 16 with a 4-1 victory over Stephen Maguire.