The Dream Is Alive’: Shaun Murphy Reveals Why Retirement Is Off the Table
Shaun Murphy has made it clear that retirement is nowhere on his horizon as he remains fully committed to chasing a second World Snooker Championship crown. Despite enduring another heartbreaking defeat at the Crucible, the former world champion insists that his passion for the game remains as strong as ever.
Murphy’s latest World Championship campaign ended in dramatic fashion last month when he was narrowly beaten by China’s Wu Yize in a thrilling encounter that went all the way to the deciding stages. The defeat added another chapter to Murphy’s long wait for a second world title, with his only triumph at the Crucible still dating back to his remarkable victory in 2005 when he shocked the sport as a 125/1 outsider.
Since that fairy-tale success, Murphy has come agonisingly close to lifting the trophy again. He has reached the final on three occasions but suffered defeats to Stuart Bingham in 2015 and Mark Selby in 2021, while the recent loss to Wu was another painful setback in his quest for glory.
However, the 43-year-old is not considering stepping away from the sport. Inspired by the longevity of snooker’s famous Class of 92—Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams—Murphy believes players can now remain competitive far beyond what was once considered possible.
He explained that when he first entered professional snooker, most players would have retired by their early forties. The continued success of O’Sullivan, Higgins and Williams has transformed perceptions about career longevity, proving that elite players can remain at the top of the sport well into their fifties. With those three stars still competing at the highest level, Murphy sees no reason why he cannot continue for many more years himself.
Beyond competition, Murphy says he still enjoys many aspects of life on tour. Travelling around the world remains one of the great rewards of his profession, giving him opportunities to experience different cultures and destinations that he may never otherwise have visited.
Nevertheless, he acknowledges that the physical demands of professional snooker have increased with age. Murphy revealed that maintaining his body now requires far more attention than earlier in his career, spending significant time with physiotherapists to manage the effects of decades spent repeatedly bending over the table. Looking back, he admits he would have prioritised flexibility, stretching and physical conditioning much earlier had he known how important they would become later in life.
Murphy also reflected on how audience behaviour has changed during his career. During his World Championship clash with John Higgins, a spectator shouted a remark about one of his shots. While Murphy was not offended and even found humour in the situation, he believes such incidents reflect broader societal changes.
According to Murphy, modern audiences are increasingly distracted, with mobile phones frequently interrupting matches and attention spans seemingly shorter than ever. Drawing a comparison with his own childhood, he joked about trying to explain to his children what life was like before streaming services and YouTube existed. Their disbelief, he said, highlighted just how dramatically the world has changed.
Despite the evolving landscape both inside and outside the sport, Murphy remains enthusiastic about his future. Inspired by the example set by snooker’s veteran stars and driven by his enduring love of competition, he is determined to keep playing for as long as possible while continuing his pursuit of another world championship triumph.
