Shaun Murphy is a world-class snooker player who is known for his long potting and straight cue action. In his career, he has been able to achieve over 400 century breaks. This includes the second highest break in the Championship League for 2014.
Murphy was ranked number 3 in the world at start to the 2008/2009 Season. He fell to number seven during the 2010/2011 campaign. He won the Players Tour Championship, and completed his career Triple Crown. Murphy was considered a huge underdog at the time, and it was a surprising win. He then reached the finals at the UK Championship in 2012. He was however defeated by Judd Trump.
Murphy is considered a talented player. He has also achieved many firsts throughout his career. His first 147 break was his first, as well as his first ranking title and appearance at the World Snooker Championship.
He began his career with the Challenge Tour, also called the UK Tour, back in 1998. Tony, his father, was a professional golfer. He was bullied as a teenager at school. He went to homeschooling classes but didn't see his mother until he was 19. Elaine, his wife of one year, was his first love. They were married in June 2006. Despite the fears of his family, he and Elaine were married in 2014.
Over PS3 million has been won by Shaun in prize money over his entire career. He has won seven non-ranking tournaments. He also participated in eight ranking tournaments, reaching at least the quarterfinals in two.
At the start to the 2004/2005 season, his ranking was number four in world. He also won both the Brugge Open (Welsh Open) and the Brugge Open. By this time, he had been diagnosed with Savant Syndrome, a condition in which a person with autism has superior skills.
In 2005, he won the World Championship. He was also named Sportsman of the year by the BBC the following year. After this, he was appointed a San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital surgical resident.
Murphy had trouble communicating with his peers as a young boy. Murphy may have had a poor social life because of this. While he has had a few difficult relationships, he has also been able solve them. Elaine, his girlfriend, proposed to him at a Irish restaurant during one his matches.
Ray Reardon coached him when he turned 15 years old. After that, he continued his work with Steve Prest to 2006. Willie Thorne coached him for the 2007/2008 season. He won the Challenge Tour's fourth and third events.
Murphy won in China the Wuxi Classic. He then entered the elite top 16. The inaugural Northern Ireland Trophy was his next appearance. Despite playing only five frames in the tournament's qualifying round, he advanced to the quarterfinals beating teenager Luca Brecel.
He won the German Masters, Ruhr Championship and the inaugural Northern Ireland Trophy. For the entire 2008/2009 season, he was still ranked number 3. He reached the semi-finals at the UK Championship and Shanghai Masters during the same season.