Shaun Murphy has come to the defence of Ronnie O’Sullivan after the latter’s most up-to-date withdrawal.

The Rocket pulled out of the Scottish Open in Edinburgh on the eve of the third House Nations event of this time period.

The last-minute nature of the no-show meant that potential top-up placement Alfie Davies was unable to journey to the venue in time, gifting Liam Graham a bye into the final 64.

It’s the sixth time in the course of the 2023/24 snooker season that O’Sullivan has withdrawn from an occasion citing medical points.

However whereas many have been vital of the current UK champion, he obtained a phrase of assist from maybe an unlikely supply.

“I’ve seen numerous issues written about this,” Shaun Murphy mentioned on the most recent episode of the OneFourSeven Snooker Podcast.

“I’m curious. I wish to perceive and gauge the temperature and opinion of the snooker fraternity.”

“I believe there’s fairly a bit of confusion right here. Nobody is obliged to play in something.

“Clearly he and I don’t see eye to eye on many issues – everybody is aware of that – however he’s not obliged to play in something.

“He’s nicely inside the guidelines to withdraw from any occasion that he needs to. The explanations he offers? That’s a unique topic.

“However he truly hasn’t accomplished something improper by the letter of the legislation from WST’s standpoint, so I’m confused the place the narrative comes from.

“I believe there’s a nuanced distinction between somebody like Stephen Hendry, who has a tour card and chooses to not enter tournaments, versus somebody who enters tournaments and withdraws final minute.

“These two issues are barely totally different, and if you happen to take a look at it from the standpoint of the primary reserve on this case, who’s Anthony Davies’ son Alfie, he obtained the decision to go to Edinburgh 4 or 5 hours earlier than – it was fully undoable.

“Now, if O’Sullivan knew he had no intention of going and withdrew final minute, that’s not superb, as a result of that clearly spoils the chance for younger Mr. Davies.

“However you haven’t any choice in these circumstances however to take the participant at their phrase.

“O’Sullivan has once more cited well being issues, and I’m going again to what I mentioned within the podcast just a few episodes in the past, he has had it actually dangerous in current occasions.

“He has been actually poorly. He has been actually sick, and to be that sick and to drag out of that many occasions on medical grounds, after which nonetheless flip up and win the UK Championship is unbelievable actually.

“I believe midway by way of the event, it coincided with the precise date that Ronnie received that occasion 30 years in the past,” Murphy later added.

“I keep in mind watching that as a child dreaming of turning into a snooker participant, watching this younger man who had simply turned professional.”

“He was seven or eight years forward of me on the journey, beating Stephen Hendry within the closing of the UK Championship.

“It was an inspirational second. You assume, wow it’s any individual who’s younger and it may be accomplished.

“For that very same individual to nonetheless be on the prime of the sport – I’m positive he’d say in a different way to this – however arguably enjoying in addition to he has ever performed is phenomenal.

“His potential to play snooker to such a excessive stage is unbelievable.”

Murphy was additionally requested about his opinions on the continuing saga between the World Snooker Tour and its gamers regarding contracts, gamers’ rights, and the opportunity of a breakaway tour.

“This factor isn’t going to go away – the intense battle between the gamers, and the WPBSA gamers’ physique that represents them, and WST with their gamers contract.”

“This isn’t going anyplace. It’s solely going to extend in velocity and in seriousness, as a result of these two events are going to conflict over this.

“I’m undecided which approach it’s going to go. It’s a giant week this week in snooker politically. We’ve obtained the AGM of the WPBSA and the elections to the WPBSA Gamers Board.

“Such is the curiosity on this – usually it’s important to crowbar gamers into these conferences and nominations – there are three spots obtainable and there are seven candidates.

“That’s the primary time in historical past that there are extra candidates than areas.

“Relying on who will get by way of the candidacy and the nomination course of, if sure members discover their approach onto that board, that would trigger WST a headache going ahead.

“I do know just a few of the gamers who’ve put themselves ahead have this as one in all their key mandates to attempt to get a fairer and higher deal out of WST.

“You realize, we wish a evaluation of the contract. We would like it checked out, we wish to sit down and discuss. It’s going to be attention-grabbing.”

Final week, in the meantime, Shaun Murphy grew to become the primary participant in historical past to compile a 147 break on the Snooker Shoot Out.

The 41 year-old produced the second of magic in his first-round match with Bulscú Révész, with many already concerning the utmost effort as among the many greatest ever.

“I nonetheless can’t consider it’s actually occurred to be fully sincere,” the Magician informed podcast co-host Phil Seymour.

“I haven’t been enjoying nice in current weeks, my type hasn’t been that good, and it simply got here out of nowhere. I used to be as shocked as anyone.”

Featured photograph credit score: WST