16 April 2023 , 13:55
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You could say Shaun Murphy is only half the man he used to be - but the 2005 world champion has a new lease of life because of it.
The 40-year-old has arrived at The Crucible this year a rejuvenated figure in more ways than one. Recent wins in the Tour Championship and Players Championship have ended a three year barren spell in terms of titles, and ahead of a a first round clash with Si Jiahui on Wednesday, is touted as a serious contender for the tournament.
Of course, much has transpired since 'The Magician' burst onto the scene with his first world crown in 2005. Last summer, amid long-term issues with his weight and depression that left him contemplating retirement, he underwent gastric sleeve surgery and shed five stone.
And now the 40-year-old has opened up on the lightbulb moment that reaffirmed to him the scales were simply tipping too far. Snooker's most famous venue may well be the scene of his greatest triumph, but in 20222, it also provided a harrowing moment of realisation.
Amid falling at the first hurdle to Stephen Maguire, Murphy erred for reasons he's now happy to disclose. "I was stretching over the middle of the table for a ball that I should have been able to reach with ease," he told the Daily Mail. "But I was that big that I couldn’t get myself over the table and I ended up fouling the pink with my shirt.
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"It was purely because I’d become too big and inflexible to reach the shot. There was a ripple of laughter from the crowd. I laughed and Steve laughed. But deep down, I knew there were problems and that this was an embarrassing moment."
Murphy ballooned as high as 20 stone before his operation (PA)His clash with his Chinese opponent this week is also poignant. Following his first round to the same opponent in the 2021 UK Championship, Murphy launched a scathing rant over amateur players being allowed entry to pro events.
Perhaps such outbursts can now be put into perspective, with Murphy readily admitting that his past issues severely affected more than just his frame. "I'd become such a horrible person to live with," he added. "I’d become irritable. I think if I’d gone to see a medical professional, they’d have diagnosed me as being clinically depressed. I wasn't just a bit low. I was in a very dark place. I was really struggling."
Admitting the surgery was "something I wish I'd done 20 years ago," any fouls at The Crucible over the next few weeks won't be attributed to body shape. But if the Englishman can maintain his recent form, then 12 months after his most humiliating moment - may just come his most defining one.