World Snooker Championship - 'Over the top' - Kyren Wilson on Shaun Murphy's Crucible celebrations
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Updated 02/05/2021 at 14:47 GMT
Shaun Murphy produced a quite sensational performance on Saturday evening to pull away from last year's Crucible finalist Kyren Wilson and secure his place in the showpiece match at the 2021 World Snooker Championship. Wilson paid tribute to his opponent after the gut-wrenching defeat but did also note that Murphy's animated celebrations were, in his opinion, a touch excessive.
'He's a theatre guy' - Wilson reacts to defeat to animated Murphy
Kyren Wilson has given his reaction to Shaun Murphy's "theatrical" celebrations in their World Snooker Championship semi-final and called them "over the top".
Murphy was in excellent form as he sealed his path to the final at the Crucible with a 17-12 win, which was notable for wonderfully aggressive play and some exuberant celebrations.
The pair resumed locked at 12-12 and Murphy kicked on in the evening session in scintillating fashion to pull away from last year's finalist with some inspired snooker.
Wilson admitted that he found Murphy's theatrics to be a bit excessive for his liking, but that he did not find them to be intimidating.
"It takes a lot to intimidate me," Wilson told Eurosport, when asked about Murphy's animated celebrations.
I didn't find it intimidating, I just found it a little bit over the top and a bit theatrical.
"But, you know, Shaun is a bit of a theatre guy, if you like, and we're in the Crucible Theatre, so fair play to him.
"He's got to do what he's got to do to win. I'll keep fighting until the end and I'll be back next year."
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'He can't miss, even when he does' - Murphy with crazy fluke
Eurosport expert Neal Foulds responded to the interview in the studio and said that he felt there was nothing wrong with Murphy whipping up the crowd.
"If Shaun Murphy was theatrical, we are playing in a theatre, and Shaun has entertained us," he said.
As for Murphy himself, he felt as though the situation demanded that level of excitement in what is one of sport's most famous traditional venues.
"Yeah I was [pumped] - it means the world!" Murphy told Eurosport.
"This is the biggest week of our lives as snooker players and if you can't get excited here, out there and doing that, you're in the wrong game."
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'It means the world' - Murphy on his 'pumped' celebrations
Murphy will take on Mark Selby in the final, who needed a fifth session to beat Stuart Bingham 17-15.
Selby reached the showpiece match at the Crucible after what was a marathon semi-final that required five sessions and more than 11 hours to complete.
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You can watch every match of the World Snooker Championship live and ad-free on the Eurosport App and eurosport.co.uk. Download the Eurosport app now for iOS and Android.
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