‘What a match, what a finish’ – Murphy & Lisowski react to British Open classic

Lisowski came out of the gates very quickly with breaks of 108 and 67 before Murphy surged back and into the lead with efforts of 111, 79 and 111 again.

Jackpot struck back with a 101 to force a decider and there was plenty more drama and world class snooker still to come.

The Magician made 62 before just losing position and playing safe, not quite safe enough though, with Lisowski sinking a fantastic long red and then a seriously tricky black, going on to make 63 and pinch the frame and match on the final ball.

‘It’s one of the best best of sevens I’ve ever been involved in. What a match, what a finish, what a talent, what a player,’ Murphy told ITV after the agonising defeat.

‘I think if you were teaching young players and showed them a freeze-frame of where I left him for the long red and told them that that was my last shot, I don’t think they’d believe you.

‘I was begging him to go for the long red and begging him to try to pot the black. It was one of the best clearances I’ve ever seen.’

On how he felt when he came to the table, Lisowski said: ‘I was just thinking I’m bang in trouble, what’s the shot here?’

Lisowski felt he had little choice but to take on the two incredibly difficult pots and was glad he showed the bottle, which he feels he is criticised for lacking at times.

‘Sometimes people say, “ah he’s going to bottle it again.” At 2-0 up I was thinking, maybe I have bottled this because I was playing really well,’ he said.

‘I go on Twitter sometimes and think, “Oh God.” My concentration really went at 2-0.

‘Those two shots, what are they 1 in 10? To do that at 3-3 and then dish them up. Yeah…nice.

‘It [social media criticism] doesn’t get me down because I’ve been having it since I was 19. Over 10 years, I’m numb to it now. But I felt it at 2-0 myself, I lost my concentration, I was disappointed. I’ve got bottle, but it’s the concentration.’

Murphy wasn’t too down after a fine performance, saying: ‘If I play like that for the rest of the season I think I’ll be in the winners’ enclosure a couple of times. There are lots of positives to take.’

Lisowski will play either Matt Selt or Zak Surety in the last 32.

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