Shaun Murphy and Robert Milkins all square in 2023 Welsh Open final ahead of evening conclusion

Updated 19/02/2023 at 16:47 GMT

Shaun Murphy and Robert Milkins both rose to the occasion as they played out an enthralling afternoon session in the final of the 2023 Welsh Open at Venue Cymru on Sunday. Murphy stormed into an early lead as he settled the quicker in the showpiece match, but Milkins found his form and rhythm to respond. It is all very nicely poised ahead of the evening session.

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The Welsh Open final is set for a thrilling evening session with Shaun Murphy and Robert Milkins locked at 4-4 after a fascinating afternoon battle in Llandudno.

The day’s action started even before a ball had been struck as Murphy kept his promise to moonwalk to his chair as part of his walk-on. It certainly got the crowd going at Venue Cymru as the 40-year-old made his big entrance.

Milkins began the match with a cagey and precise break of 58 without disrupting a pack of reds, only for his opponent to sweep up with a 60 to take the early lead after he committed a mistake.

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The third frame was enthralling from the outset with some entertainment thrown in. Murphy snookered himself with one red remaining and a slender 47-41 lead before proceeding to jokingly tell two laughing fans “it’s still not funny!” as he ended up surrendering the table to Milkins, who cleaned up.

Murphy was able to capitalise on an error from his opponent in the next frame to bounce straight back and restore his two-frame cushion, only for Milkins to again roar back and win two in succession to level the scores.

The topsy-turvy nature of the match continued as Milkins took the lead for the first time in the match at 4-3 with more fluid cueing, before Murphy responded with a commanding break to restore parity.

It all amounted to a tense and intriguing afternoon of snooker with the final left very much up for grabs in the evening session with both players feeling good about their games and their chances of scooping the big prize.

The encounter is particularly high-stakes for both players. For Murphy, it is his first ranking final since finishing as runner-up to Mark Selby at the 2021 World Championship.

As for Milkins, it would be a financial bonanza. After 27 years as a professional, the 46-year-old won his first ranking title at the 2022 Gibraltar Open, becoming the oldest first-time winner of a ranking event since Doug Mountjoy at the 1988 UK Championship.