Masters Snooker 2024: 'I cringe when he talks now and again' - Shaun Murphy on Ronnie O'Sullivan

Published 13/01/2024 at 14:16 GMT

Shaun Murphy and Ronnie O'Sullivan met in the semi-finals of the Masters at Alexandra Palace on Saturday afternoon. The pair have differing views on a range of subjects and world No. 6 Murphy conceded there are times when he recoils at some of the comments world No. 1 O'Sullivan comes out with. Stream the 2024 Masters live on Eurosport and discovery+

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Shaun Murphy has admitted there are occasions when he cringes at some of the comments made by Ronnie O’Sullivan.

The pair locked horns in the semi-finals of the Masters on Saturday afternoon at Alexandra Palace, live on Eurosport and discovery+.

O’Sullivan battled his way into the last four with victory over Barry Hawkins, after which he criticised the venue.

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"I just don't like this place,” O’Sullivan said. “I find it disgusting.

"Everywhere is dirty. It's cold. It's freezing, I have to wear my coat everywhere. You go through car parks. There are bins. Honestly, it just makes me feel ill.”

Ahead of his clash with O’Sullivan, Murphy was asked for his thoughts on some of the world No. 1’s opinions - without being asked specifically about the Alexandra Palace criticism.

“I don’t think he’s reached the point where he is damaging to snooker, yet,” Murphy told Eurosport’s Rachel Casey.

“Sometimes with my WPBSA player director hat on I cringe when he talks now and again. I think ‘please don’t say that’.

“But he is the biggest draw in the sport, he is the best player of all time, so he has earned the right to some degree to say what he wants.

"He always delivers on the table and that's ultimately what matters.”

Murphy conceded he and O’Sullivan do not see eye to eye on many subjects.

“We are very different, we have different opinions on almost everything,” Murphy said. “We come from a completely different world, I don’t come from the same world as Ronnie.

“Ronnie comes from a very privileged, very wealthy background. I come from a very working class, had-nothing-growing-up, background.

“We have differing views on most things because of that, but what we have is a deep passion for this game.”

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Stream the 2024 Masters live on Eurosport and discovery+

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