Judd Trump has booked his place at January's Wembley Masters after beating Walsall's Mark Joyce 6-1 in the qualifying final in Sheffield.
The Bristol teenager earns a wild card into the invitation tournament for the world's top 16 players, and faces Mark King or Mark Allen in the first round.
Trump, 19, was too strong for Joyce - taking a 2-1 lead before winning four straight frames to triumph.
"I didn't play brilliantly but I did enough to win," Trump said.
"I've been playing with a lot of confidence all season so this will give me even more.
"I've never been to Wembley, even to watch a match, so it will be a great experience for me," the world number 41 told worldsnooker.com
Trump's win also gives him his first professional title, and comes after a successful start to the season that has seen him qualify for four ranking events and reach the semi-finals of the Royal London Watches Grand Prix.
The Wembley Masters takes place from 11-18 January 2009.
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Wednesday 31 December 2008
Rodney Walker Re-Elected As WPBSA Chairman
Sir Rodney Walker has been re-elected as chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
The vote happened at the Association's annual general meeting in Sheffield after he was required to retire from the position by rotation.
He was then re-elected by the sport's voting players.
Fellow board members Peter Ebdon, Lee Doyle, Sir David Richards and Dr Hamish McInnes were also re-elected, having been required to retire.
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He was also chairman of the Wembley Stadium building project.
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Tuesday 30 December 2008
2009 World Snooker Championship booking now
The 2009 World Snooker Championship booking form for postal applications is now available.
If you wish to receive a ticket booking form, please send a reply-paid envelope to World Snooker Box Office, The Crucible Theatre, 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 1DA.
Telephone and online bookings will be operational from 14 February 2009.
Postal applications will be processed from early January 2009. Please be aware that often many sessions are sold out before the telephone lines are open. Although there is no guarantee you will receive the ticket(s) of your choice it is recommended that you apply for tickets by post using the ticket booking form.
Please be reminded that all tickets are non-transferable and not for resale, with the exception of those resold via the resale service offered by The Crucible Box Office.
The 2009 World Snooker Championship runs from April 18 to May 4.
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Friday 26 December 2008
Provisional World Snooker Rankings
Provisional World Snooker Rankings following the UK Championship 2008.
1 Ronnie O´Sullivan 45375
2 Stephen Maguire 39850
3 Shaun Murphy 34175
4 Allister Carter 31825
5 Ryan Day 31775
6 Marco Fu 30350
7 Joe Perry 30075
8 John Higgins 29925
9 Mark Selby 28575
10 Mark Allen 25075
11 Stephen Hendry 24925
12 Mark Williams 24544
13 Neil Robertson 23725
14 Junhui Ding 23244
15 Barry Hawkins 23225
16 Peter Ebdon 22300
17 Dave Harold 22157
18 Stuart Bingham 21469
19 Jamie Cope 20857
20 Mark King 20700
21 Ricky Walden 20200
22 Matthew Stevens 20007
23 Steve Davis 19769
24 Wenbo Liang 18425
25 Stephen Lee 18413
26 Michael Holt 17875
27 Judd Trump 17751
28 Joe Swail 17519
29 Dominic Dale 17495
30 Ian McCulloch 16963
31 Fergal O'Brien 16845
32 Nigel Bond 16582
1 Ronnie O´Sullivan 45375
2 Stephen Maguire 39850
3 Shaun Murphy 34175
4 Allister Carter 31825
5 Ryan Day 31775
6 Marco Fu 30350
7 Joe Perry 30075
8 John Higgins 29925
9 Mark Selby 28575
10 Mark Allen 25075
11 Stephen Hendry 24925
12 Mark Williams 24544
13 Neil Robertson 23725
14 Junhui Ding 23244
15 Barry Hawkins 23225
16 Peter Ebdon 22300
17 Dave Harold 22157
18 Stuart Bingham 21469
19 Jamie Cope 20857
20 Mark King 20700
21 Ricky Walden 20200
22 Matthew Stevens 20007
23 Steve Davis 19769
24 Wenbo Liang 18425
25 Stephen Lee 18413
26 Michael Holt 17875
27 Judd Trump 17751
28 Joe Swail 17519
29 Dominic Dale 17495
30 Ian McCulloch 16963
31 Fergal O'Brien 16845
32 Nigel Bond 16582
Snooker Welsh Open At Newport 2009
The world’s best snooker players will be back in Newport in February for the 2009 Welsh Open.
Tickets, starting at just £6, are now on sale and can be bought by calling 01633 656 757.
All of the world’s top 16 players are guaranteed a place at the venue, while Welsh stars Mark Williams, Matthew Stevens and Dominic Dale will have their qualifying matches held over to Newport to give their fans the chance to see them in action.
The tournament has a reputation for producing exciting snooker, with six of the last ten finals going to a deciding frame. Last year, Selby came from 8-5 down to beat O’Sullivan 9-8 in a classic contest.
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Snooker Welsh Open Qualifiers 2009
Welsh Open 2009
Qualifying Format 3-6 February 2009
Pontin’s, Prestatyn Sands Holiday Centre, Prestatyn
Tuesday 3 February 2009
10am
Match 1 - Patrick Wallace v Liu Chuang
Match 2 - Kuldesh Johal v Vincent Muldoon
Match 3 - Matthew Couch v Stephen Craigie
Match 4 - Scott Mackenzie v Stefan Mazrocis
Match 5 - Jimmy White v David Grace
Match 6 - Simon Bedford v Wayne H Cooper
Match 7 - Lee Spick v Robert Stephen
Match 8 - Supoj Saenla v Jin Long
4pm
Match 9 - Peter Lines v Andrew Pagett
Match 10 - Paul S Davison v Atthasit Mahitthi
Match 11- James McBain v Aditya Mehta
Match 12- Matthew Selt v Michael Georgiou
Match 13 - Jamie Jones v Li Hang
Match 14 - Lewis Roberts v Declan Hughes
Match 15 - Rodney Goggins v Andy Lee
Match 16 - Daniel Wells v Chris McBreen
Wednesday 4 February 2009
10am
Match 17 - Paul Davies v Winner of match 1
Match 18 - David Roe v Winner of match 2
Match 19 - David Gray v Winner of match 3
Match 20 - Stuart Pettman v Winner of match 4
Match 21 - Rod Lawler v Winner of match 5
Match 22 - Robert Milkins v Winner of match 6
Match 23 - Joe Delaney v Winner of match 7
Match 24 - Barry Pinches v Winner of match 8
4pm
Match 25 - Ian Preece v Winner of match 9
Match 26 - Andy Hicks v Winner of match 10
Match 27 - Mark Davis v Winner of match 11
Match 28 - Martin Gould v Winner of match 12
Match 29 - Liu Song v Winner of match 13
Match 30 - Mark Joyce v Winner of match 14
Match 31 - David Morris v Winner of match 15
Match 32 - Andrew Norman v Winner of match 16
Thursday 5 February 2009
10am
Match 33 - Jimmy Michie v Winner of match 17
Match 34 - David Brown Gilbert v Winner of match 18
Match 35 - Michael Holt v Winner of match 19
Match 36 - Alan McManus v Winner of match 20
Match 37 - Rory McLeod v Winner of match 21
Match 38 - Mike Dunn v Winner of match 22
Match 39 - Gerard Greene v Winner of match 23
Match 40 - Judd Trump v Winner of match 24
4pm
Match 41 - Andrew Higginson v Winner of match 25
Match 42 - Adrian Gunnell v Winner of match 26
Match 43 - Marcus Campbell v Winner of match 27
Match 44 - John Parrott v Winner of match 28
Match 45 - Liang Wenbo v Winner of match 29
Match 46 - Jamie Burnett v Winner of match 30
Match 47 - Ricky Walden v Winner of match 31
Match 48 - Tom Ford v Winner of match 32
Friday 6 February 2009
10am
Match 49 - Barry Hawkins v Winner of match 33
Match 51 - Anthony Hamilton v Winner of match 35
Match 52 - Michael Judge v Winner of match 36
Match 53 - Ken Doherty v Winner of match 37
Match 54 -McCulloch v Winner of match 38
Match 55 - Dave Harold v Winner of match 39
Match 56- Jamie Cope v Winner of match 40
4pm
Match 57 - Stuart Bingham v Winner of match 41
Match 59 - Joe Swail v Winner of match 43
Match 60 - Nigel Bond v Winner of match 44
Match 62 - Stephen Lee v Winner of match 46
Match 63 - Fergal O’Brien v Winner of match 47
Match 64 - Steve Davis v Winner of match 48
All matches will be the best of 9 frames
NB: Matches 50, 58 and 61 to be played at the main event.
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The Masters Snooker Wembley 2009
Tickets are now on sale for the Masters, snooker’s most prestigious invitation event, which is to stay at Wembley Arena for the next three years.
Tickets start at just £10 and can be booked by calling 0844 815 0815 or logging on to www.wembleyarena.co.uk
The event has a rich 33-year-history and has been won by all of snooker’s great names including Ray Reardon, Alex Higgins, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams, John Higgins, Paul Hunter and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Previously held at Wembley Conference Centre, the Masters moved to the Arena in 2007 and that has proved a fitting venue.
Last season’s tournament was won by Mark Selby, who beat Stephen Lee 10-3 in the final. “Winning the Masters was the highlight of my career so far. It’s one the tournaments all of the top players want to win the most,” said Leicester’s 25-year-old Selby.
“I love playing at Wembley Arena so I’m pleased it’s staying there. It’s a great venue with a superb atmosphere. London deserves to have a big tournament as the fans there love their snooker.”
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Tickets start at just £10 and can be booked by calling 0844 815 0815 or logging on to www.wembleyarena.co.uk
The event has a rich 33-year-history and has been won by all of snooker’s great names including Ray Reardon, Alex Higgins, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams, John Higgins, Paul Hunter and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Previously held at Wembley Conference Centre, the Masters moved to the Arena in 2007 and that has proved a fitting venue.
Last season’s tournament was won by Mark Selby, who beat Stephen Lee 10-3 in the final. “Winning the Masters was the highlight of my career so far. It’s one the tournaments all of the top players want to win the most,” said Leicester’s 25-year-old Selby.
“I love playing at Wembley Arena so I’m pleased it’s staying there. It’s a great venue with a superb atmosphere. London deserves to have a big tournament as the fans there love their snooker.”
Source
Monday 22 December 2008
Murphy defeats Fu to claim title
Shaun Murphy claimed a dramatic 10-9 victory over Marco Fu to win the UK Championship in Telford.
Shaun had led 5-3 at the interval but his opponent from Hong Kong battled back to level at 6-6, and was within sight of the title when 9-8 in front.
But the Englishman held his nerve in a tense and scrappy finish, levelling at 9-9 before clinching the decider thanks to a fluke on the pink.
Murphy adds the UK crown to the World Championship he won in 2005.
The 26-year-old had been the more consistent of the two, recording breaks of 73, 77, 87 and 99 on the way to victory, but he came up against a resilient opponent.
"It's been a while and I've never felt pressure like that," the champion told BBC Sport.
"That was worse than the world title in 2005 because it's been such a long time since I was competing for a title.
"That was the worst match we've both played this tournament but that just goes to show the pressure we were under."
Fu, 30, said: "I never really settled and Shaun was winning frames in one visit and I wasn't really scoring enough.
"I was surprised to win nine frames today because I didn't play well under pressure and Shaun did."
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Shaun had led 5-3 at the interval but his opponent from Hong Kong battled back to level at 6-6, and was within sight of the title when 9-8 in front.
But the Englishman held his nerve in a tense and scrappy finish, levelling at 9-9 before clinching the decider thanks to a fluke on the pink.
Murphy adds the UK crown to the World Championship he won in 2005.
The 26-year-old had been the more consistent of the two, recording breaks of 73, 77, 87 and 99 on the way to victory, but he came up against a resilient opponent.
"It's been a while and I've never felt pressure like that," the champion told BBC Sport.
"That was worse than the world title in 2005 because it's been such a long time since I was competing for a title.
"That was the worst match we've both played this tournament but that just goes to show the pressure we were under."
Fu, 30, said: "I never really settled and Shaun was winning frames in one visit and I wasn't really scoring enough.
"I was surprised to win nine frames today because I didn't play well under pressure and Shaun did."
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Maguire faces Murphy in last four
Stephen Maguire will play Shaun Murphy in the semi-final of the UK Championship at Telford after a 9-7 quarter-final win over John Higgins.
Maguire looked to be wobbling when he let slip a 7-5 lead, but Higgins failed to take full advantage and breaks of 75 and 74 sealed Maguire's victory.
Earlier, Shaun strolled into the last four with a 9-3 win over Stephen Lee.
He later set up victory by winning seven frames in a row in the afternoon session, having lost the first.
Lee took that opening frame with a 91 break, but then became a spectator as Murphy won seven straight frames to move within touching distance of victory by the end of the afternoon session.
After the restart Lee won the first two frames, but it was just delaying the inevitable as Murphy won the two frames he needed to reach the last four.
Shaun has enjoyed a disappointing run of form since his surprise world title win in 2005, with just one ranking tournament win, but despite losing the first frame, he was dominant against Lee.
He made four breaks of 50 or more as he romped to within two frames of victory in the afternoon session, and despite Lee's brief rally, he rounded things off with frame-winning breaks of 98 and 85 to clinch victory.
Murphy and Maguire will meet in the second semi-final on Saturday, the day after Ali Carter takes on Marco Fu in the first match.
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Maguire looked to be wobbling when he let slip a 7-5 lead, but Higgins failed to take full advantage and breaks of 75 and 74 sealed Maguire's victory.
Earlier, Shaun strolled into the last four with a 9-3 win over Stephen Lee.
He later set up victory by winning seven frames in a row in the afternoon session, having lost the first.
Lee took that opening frame with a 91 break, but then became a spectator as Murphy won seven straight frames to move within touching distance of victory by the end of the afternoon session.
After the restart Lee won the first two frames, but it was just delaying the inevitable as Murphy won the two frames he needed to reach the last four.
Shaun has enjoyed a disappointing run of form since his surprise world title win in 2005, with just one ranking tournament win, but despite losing the first frame, he was dominant against Lee.
He made four breaks of 50 or more as he romped to within two frames of victory in the afternoon session, and despite Lee's brief rally, he rounded things off with frame-winning breaks of 98 and 85 to clinch victory.
Murphy and Maguire will meet in the second semi-final on Saturday, the day after Ali Carter takes on Marco Fu in the first match.
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Carter squeezes through to semis
Ali Carter clinched a place in the semi-finals of the UK Championship after winning the final frame of his quarter-final match with Mark Williams.
Williams had a chance to set up victory but got a bad contact when he tried to pot an easy red and Carter went on to clear the table and snatch a 9-8 win.
Marco Fu also made it through to the last four after he beat Joe Perry 9-7.
The result gave Hong Kong's Fu revenge for his defeat at the hands of Perry in the second round last year.
The pair were locked at 4-4 after the first session but Fu made four half-century breaks in five frames after the interval to pull ahead.
But with Fu one frame away from victory at 8-5, the momentum of the match swung back Perry's way as he closed to 8-7 with breaks of 84 and 53.
Fu, though, sealed victory with a break of 81 to finally extinguish Perry's challenge and set up a meeting with Carter on Friday.
Williams will be left to reflect on what might have been, after he claimed the opening three frames - the highlight being a 136 break in the second.
"Yeah, I could have won," said Williams.
"It was a thunderous kick in that final frame and that cost me the match in the end but I had more than enough chances to win the game before then.
"I had my chances, I blew it really so I can't grumble too much."
The Welshman showed flashes of vintage Williams as the experienced left-hander rolled back the years to show the same sort of quality that won him two World Championships.
"Most of the matches here, until this session, I have played quite well," former world number one Williams told BBC Sport.
"But in this final session, I played like a bulldog chewing on a wasp.
"I had plenty of chances and there was a lot of pressure and I didn't handle it very well.
But Carter, who memorably gave up an 8-3 lead to Barry Hawkins to lose in the opening round of this event last year, showed resolve to claw the game back to 5-3 heading into the evening session.
The pair exchanged frames immediately after the resumption before Carter again clawed his way back to level the match at 6-6.
Williams responded with a break of 66, without reply, in the next frame but Carter refused to be shaken off easily and took the match into a decisive frame.
Williams had looked likely to clinch his place in the semi-finals when Carter fouled on the pink to give his opponent a 29-0 lead and a seemingly simple pot on the red with the balls spread.
But the former world champion got a kick and saw the red bounce out of a middle pocket, allowing Carter his chance.
"Hopefully the consistency will come," said Williams.
"Out of all the sessions, I only had one bad session.
"It is sickening to go out like that because I had him, I was 30 up and snookered him. I could have put them back but the red was easy and I was never going to miss it until the kick."
In Thursday's two remaining quarter-finals, Scottish pair Stephen Maguire and John Higgins face each other and Shaun Murphy will play Stephen Lee.
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Williams had a chance to set up victory but got a bad contact when he tried to pot an easy red and Carter went on to clear the table and snatch a 9-8 win.
Marco Fu also made it through to the last four after he beat Joe Perry 9-7.
The result gave Hong Kong's Fu revenge for his defeat at the hands of Perry in the second round last year.
The pair were locked at 4-4 after the first session but Fu made four half-century breaks in five frames after the interval to pull ahead.
But with Fu one frame away from victory at 8-5, the momentum of the match swung back Perry's way as he closed to 8-7 with breaks of 84 and 53.
Fu, though, sealed victory with a break of 81 to finally extinguish Perry's challenge and set up a meeting with Carter on Friday.
Williams will be left to reflect on what might have been, after he claimed the opening three frames - the highlight being a 136 break in the second.
"Yeah, I could have won," said Williams.
"It was a thunderous kick in that final frame and that cost me the match in the end but I had more than enough chances to win the game before then.
"I had my chances, I blew it really so I can't grumble too much."
The Welshman showed flashes of vintage Williams as the experienced left-hander rolled back the years to show the same sort of quality that won him two World Championships.
"Most of the matches here, until this session, I have played quite well," former world number one Williams told BBC Sport.
"But in this final session, I played like a bulldog chewing on a wasp.
"I had plenty of chances and there was a lot of pressure and I didn't handle it very well.
But Carter, who memorably gave up an 8-3 lead to Barry Hawkins to lose in the opening round of this event last year, showed resolve to claw the game back to 5-3 heading into the evening session.
The pair exchanged frames immediately after the resumption before Carter again clawed his way back to level the match at 6-6.
Williams responded with a break of 66, without reply, in the next frame but Carter refused to be shaken off easily and took the match into a decisive frame.
Williams had looked likely to clinch his place in the semi-finals when Carter fouled on the pink to give his opponent a 29-0 lead and a seemingly simple pot on the red with the balls spread.
But the former world champion got a kick and saw the red bounce out of a middle pocket, allowing Carter his chance.
"Hopefully the consistency will come," said Williams.
"Out of all the sessions, I only had one bad session.
"It is sickening to go out like that because I had him, I was 30 up and snookered him. I could have put them back but the red was easy and I was never going to miss it until the kick."
In Thursday's two remaining quarter-finals, Scottish pair Stephen Maguire and John Higgins face each other and Shaun Murphy will play Stephen Lee.
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Allen beaten by Murphy in Telford
Mark Allen was defeated 9-7 by former world champion Shaun Murphy in the second round of the UK Championship in Telford on Tuesday night.
The Antrim player was level at 4-4 with the Englishman after the first session but Murphy prevailed to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Allen enjoyed a 9-2 victory over Stuart Bingham in the first round.
Belfast's Joe Swail bowed out of the tournament on Monday when he was edged out 9-7 by John Higgins.
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The Antrim player was level at 4-4 with the Englishman after the first session but Murphy prevailed to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Allen enjoyed a 9-2 victory over Stuart Bingham in the first round.
Belfast's Joe Swail bowed out of the tournament on Monday when he was edged out 9-7 by John Higgins.
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Dismal O'Sullivan falls to defeat
Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan suffered a shock 9-5 defeat by Joe Perry to crash out of the UK Championship in round two on Tuesday.
John Higgins, Stephen Maguire and Shaun Murphy all won, but the title holder collapsed dramatically.
O'Sullivan scorched into a 5-3 lead overnight with three centuries, but his game fell apart in the second session.
Perry played superbly, but a series of errors from the world number one gifted frame after frame to his opponent.
Having seen Perry win the first three frames of the afternoon to trail 5-6, O'Sullivan conceded the 12th frame, the last before the mid-session interval, by deliberately flicking the white away with his cue when just 23-0 down.
He may now be punished for his display of petulance, but insisted later he had no regrets about his actions.
"It is just a little £250 fine, a letter in the post," he told BBC Sport. "I have had a few of them before, and I will have a few more I suppose.
"I was quite happy I did it really. I just wanted to get out of there, have a cup of tea and come back again. But it still didn't make a difference really. It is no big deal."
O'Sullivan preferred to give credit to Perry, a World Championship semi-finalist earlier this year, who claimed the best win of his career.
"I just got outplayed on the day," O'Sullivan told BBC Sport.
"It might have looked like I lost my head or whatever, but I'm sure I'll bounce back somewhere along the line.
"He played great - I wasn't going to win today. His safety was great, he scored when he got in and didn't miss much. Sometimes you've just got to hold your hands up."
Even in the final frame, O'Sullivan had the chance to keep the match alive after Perry missed a simple red, but a missed black after a run of 41 allowed his opponent to wrap things up.
"It's been a good competition for me," said Perry, who reached the quarter-finals for the fifth time.
"I do enjoy the longer matches. I was 5-3 down overnight and that didn't seem that bad as Ronnie gave me a bit of snooker lesson on Monday.
"I knew I was still in it at 5-3 and that's how it turned out to be."
Mark Williams also progressed to the quarter-finals after coming back from 6-3 down to beat Graeme Dott 9-7 in a nervous encounter between former world champions.
The Welshman will play World Championship finalist Ali Carter, who beat fellow Englishman Peter Ebdon 9-5, in the last eight.
Higgins eased past Ding Junhui 9-4 despite the Chinese player making a 147 break in the third frame of the match.
The Scot will play compatriot Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals.
Maguire beat Neil Robertson 9-8 with a magnificent break of 104 in a dramatic closing match of the evning, after the Australian had missed a black to win it in the previous frame.
Murphy, meanwhile, continued his revival by seeing off Northern Irishman Mark Allen 9-7. He will play Stephen Lee in the last eight.
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John Higgins, Stephen Maguire and Shaun Murphy all won, but the title holder collapsed dramatically.
O'Sullivan scorched into a 5-3 lead overnight with three centuries, but his game fell apart in the second session.
Perry played superbly, but a series of errors from the world number one gifted frame after frame to his opponent.
Having seen Perry win the first three frames of the afternoon to trail 5-6, O'Sullivan conceded the 12th frame, the last before the mid-session interval, by deliberately flicking the white away with his cue when just 23-0 down.
He may now be punished for his display of petulance, but insisted later he had no regrets about his actions.
"It is just a little £250 fine, a letter in the post," he told BBC Sport. "I have had a few of them before, and I will have a few more I suppose.
"I was quite happy I did it really. I just wanted to get out of there, have a cup of tea and come back again. But it still didn't make a difference really. It is no big deal."
O'Sullivan preferred to give credit to Perry, a World Championship semi-finalist earlier this year, who claimed the best win of his career.
"I just got outplayed on the day," O'Sullivan told BBC Sport.
"It might have looked like I lost my head or whatever, but I'm sure I'll bounce back somewhere along the line.
"He played great - I wasn't going to win today. His safety was great, he scored when he got in and didn't miss much. Sometimes you've just got to hold your hands up."
Even in the final frame, O'Sullivan had the chance to keep the match alive after Perry missed a simple red, but a missed black after a run of 41 allowed his opponent to wrap things up.
"It's been a good competition for me," said Perry, who reached the quarter-finals for the fifth time.
"I do enjoy the longer matches. I was 5-3 down overnight and that didn't seem that bad as Ronnie gave me a bit of snooker lesson on Monday.
"I knew I was still in it at 5-3 and that's how it turned out to be."
Mark Williams also progressed to the quarter-finals after coming back from 6-3 down to beat Graeme Dott 9-7 in a nervous encounter between former world champions.
The Welshman will play World Championship finalist Ali Carter, who beat fellow Englishman Peter Ebdon 9-5, in the last eight.
Higgins eased past Ding Junhui 9-4 despite the Chinese player making a 147 break in the third frame of the match.
The Scot will play compatriot Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals.
Maguire beat Neil Robertson 9-8 with a magnificent break of 104 in a dramatic closing match of the evning, after the Australian had missed a black to win it in the previous frame.
Murphy, meanwhile, continued his revival by seeing off Northern Irishman Mark Allen 9-7. He will play Stephen Lee in the last eight.
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Maguire defends 'friend' Burnett
Stephen Maguire says he is "very surprised" by the need for an inquiry into his match with Jamie Burnett and has strongly defended his fellow Scot.
World Snooker launched the inquiry following unusual betting patterns around Burnett's first-round loss to Maguire at the UK Championship.
But asked if there was anything untoward about the match, Maguire told BBC Radio 5 Live: "No chance.
"I know Jamie well, we grew up together and I count him as a good friend."
Burnett, who denies any wrongdoing, was beaten 9-3 and it has since emerged that several bookmakers stopped taking bets on that exact scoreline well before the match started.
The 33-year-old Scot missed a black in the 12th frame which would have made it 8-4, and World Snooker confirmed on Thursday it is investigating the match.
"If they need to speak to me, then they need to speak to me," said Maguire. "I'm at the other end of the phone any time.
"They can investigate him all they want but if they investigate then I think an apology at the end might be right."
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World Snooker launched the inquiry following unusual betting patterns around Burnett's first-round loss to Maguire at the UK Championship.
But asked if there was anything untoward about the match, Maguire told BBC Radio 5 Live: "No chance.
"I know Jamie well, we grew up together and I count him as a good friend."
Burnett, who denies any wrongdoing, was beaten 9-3 and it has since emerged that several bookmakers stopped taking bets on that exact scoreline well before the match started.
The 33-year-old Scot missed a black in the 12th frame which would have made it 8-4, and World Snooker confirmed on Thursday it is investigating the match.
"If they need to speak to me, then they need to speak to me," said Maguire. "I'm at the other end of the phone any time.
"They can investigate him all they want but if they investigate then I think an apology at the end might be right."
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Burnett match to be investigated
World Snooker has launched a formal investigation into Jamie Burnett's first-round loss to Stephen Maguire at the UK Championships on Sunday.
Burnett was beaten 9-3 and it has since emerged that several bookmakers stopped taking bets on that exact scoreline well before the match started.
The 33-year-old Scot missed a black in the 12th frame, which would have made it 8-4. He denies any wrongdoing.
World Snooker has instructed specialist lawyers to help in the case.
In a statement, the sport's governing body added: "The WPBSA (World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association) is committed to taking all steps within its power to protect the integrity of the sport.
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"At approximately 1650 GMT on Friday, 12 December we received a telephone call from a bookmaker, reporting an unusual pattern of bets on Stephen Maguire to beat Jamie Burnett by a frame score of 9-3 in a match due to take place on the Sunday.
"The WPBSA immediately notified its other bookmaker contacts, so that the bookmakers could alert the industry.
"It also arranged for World Snooker officials to attend and observe the match in question and secured tapes of the match afterwards for further study.
"As part of the investigation, information will be gathered from all pertinent parties, including the players themselves, the match officials, the bookmakers and others in order to determine whether or not there is a case to answer for breach of the WPBSA's rules.
"If it is determined that there is a case to answer, the WPBSA will pursue it vigorously."
After the match, Burnett said he knew the situation and the pressure had affected his play.
He told BBC Sport: "In the last frame I have never felt more pressure in my life. I didn't think I could have played the colours knowing people have been saying things.
"On the black I said to myself, 'I need to get this, I need to get this' in case some people start talking. I just felt so under pressure, probably the most pressure I have felt in my life. Then to come off was the lowest feeling, I felt terrible."
On the subject of match-fixing, the world number 45 added: "People have been laughing and joking about things like that for years, but to my knowledge nobody has ever done anything. Snooker is too important, there is a career here."
Graham Sharpe, media relationships director for bookmakers William Hill, said that betting patterns for the match made "alarm bells ring".
Sharpe told BBC Sport: "We know what the regular betting patterns for an event should be. It was a match for which we were only taking money for one side of the equation. "Stephen Maguire was the strong favourite, as he was entitled to be, but he was the only one we were seeing any money for.
"We were hearing lots of whispers about [the match] within the industry. It was then we decided to withdraw our prices.
"We sat and watched the game with considerable interest and we were quite surprised, although that may be the wrong word, to see what the final result of the game was.
"It is now up for the snooker authorities to look into what happened and take the appropriate steps.
"I am quite sure it is a coincidence but nobody can say this is a case of bookies speaking through their pockets after the event. Attention was drawn to this well before the match started."Source
Trump disappointed by King defeat
Bristol snooker player Judd Trump believes he should be reaching the latter stages of major tournaments following his UK Championship exit.
Trump, 19, lost a final frame decider to go down 9-8 to Mark King in Telford on Sunday.
He told BBC Radio Bristol: "I feel like I should be be getting to quarter-finals and semi-finals.
"I should be used to playing in the big tournaments. It's disappointing to be playing badly at these events."
Trump defeated world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan on his way to the semi-finals of the Grand Prix in October, but said that victory has not put him under too much pressure to succeed.
"I know what I'm capable of and if I thought I was putting too much pressure on myself I wouldn't be playing," said Trump.
"I'm capable of winning tournaments and getting into the world's top 16, so hopefully I can have a good run at the Masters."
Source
Trump, 19, lost a final frame decider to go down 9-8 to Mark King in Telford on Sunday.
He told BBC Radio Bristol: "I feel like I should be be getting to quarter-finals and semi-finals.
"I should be used to playing in the big tournaments. It's disappointing to be playing badly at these events."
Trump defeated world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan on his way to the semi-finals of the Grand Prix in October, but said that victory has not put him under too much pressure to succeed.
"I know what I'm capable of and if I thought I was putting too much pressure on myself I wouldn't be playing," said Trump.
"I'm capable of winning tournaments and getting into the world's top 16, so hopefully I can have a good run at the Masters."
Source
Hendry and Selby sent crashing out
Stephen Hendry was sent crashing out in the first round of the Maplin UK Championship as Stephen Lee prevailed 9-7 in a tense contest.
The former world number one led 5-3 overnight and 6-4 but Lee levelled at 7-7 and won the two frames he needed.
World number four Mark Selby also fell at the first hurdle as a resurgent Mark Williams won another tight match 9-7.
The Welshman moved 7-3 up before Selby reeled off four frames to level, but Williams held his nerve to progress.
The two-time UK champion will face Graeme Dott in the second round, while Lee will face Mark King, who won a final-frame decider 9-8 against rising teenage star Judd Trump.
Lee, 34, considered quitting snooker after his first-round exit at the World Championship earlier this year, but relished his win after a dip in form and results over recent seasons.
"I'm hitting the ball really well and it's just nice to be part of it," he told BBC Sport.
"I'm feeling quite good under pressure and it's just a matter of enjoying it again.
"To beat Stephen, I'm over the moon. Enjoyment is what it's all about. I wouldn't do it if I didn't like it. I would have probably found something else to do with myself."
Hendry, who has not won a ranking event for four years, was understandably dejected after his latest defeat, in which he scored just one point in the last two frames.
"It's hard to pot balls when there's chaos inside my head," said the Scot. "I know what causes it but I'm not going to tell you.
"The only positive thing from the match is that I played so badly but still only lost 9-7.
"People talk about how good the standard is. But if I got 30% of my old form back, I'd be competing. I only made one break over 70 and I made a lot of mistakes.
"Even if I'd played 5% better I would have won. I'm not going to say I'm playing well in practice because I'm bored of saying it."
Mark Williams, meanwhile, is battling to return to the elite top 16.
The Welshman appeared to be in control at 7-3 against Selby, but the Leicester cueman rattled in three centuries, including a 139, to get back on level terms.
But Williams showed his trademark calmness under pressure to win a scrappy 15th frame and then sealed victory in the next.
"It's an excellent win for me," said Williams. "Apart from Ronnie O'Sullivan who is out on his own, Mark is the next best player in the world. I didn't get a shot from 7-3 to 7-7.
"I've been practising 11 or 12 hours a day and I've got some self-belief. I need everything to click into place, including my head, then who knows how far I can go."
Honh Kong's Marco Fu came back from 5-3 down overnight to beat Barry Hawkins 9-6 and will play Welshman Matthew Stevens in the next round.
Scotland's Stephen Maguire, beaten in the final by Ronnie O'Sullivan last year, made a strong start to his opening match against Jamie Burnett of England.
Maguire led 6-2 at the end of the session, wrapping up his day's work with a break of 66.
That meant he was in a far more comfortable position than fellow Scot John Higgins, the 1998 and 2000 champion, who will resume on Monday tied at 4-4 with Northern Ireland's Joe Swail.
Australian Neil Robertson, winner of the recent Bahrain Championship, and Englishman Michael Holt also shared the first eight frames of their match.
Andrew Higginson gave himself a chance of causing a major shock when he opened up a 5-3 lead over 2006 UK champion Peter Ebdon at the end of their first session.
Mark Allen will resume with a 6-2 advantage over Stuart Bingham, while veteran Steve Davis stands at 4-4 in his contest against Ding Junhui, the 2005 winner.
Davis, 51, led 3-1 but then allowed Ding to move 4-3 in front before levelling up in a tight final frame of the evening. Ding made the top score of the evening session, a break of 130 in the seventh frame.
Shaun Murphy did not have everything his own way against Martin Gould, finishing the session with a 5-3 lead.
Source
The former world number one led 5-3 overnight and 6-4 but Lee levelled at 7-7 and won the two frames he needed.
World number four Mark Selby also fell at the first hurdle as a resurgent Mark Williams won another tight match 9-7.
The Welshman moved 7-3 up before Selby reeled off four frames to level, but Williams held his nerve to progress.
The two-time UK champion will face Graeme Dott in the second round, while Lee will face Mark King, who won a final-frame decider 9-8 against rising teenage star Judd Trump.
Lee, 34, considered quitting snooker after his first-round exit at the World Championship earlier this year, but relished his win after a dip in form and results over recent seasons.
"I'm hitting the ball really well and it's just nice to be part of it," he told BBC Sport.
"I'm feeling quite good under pressure and it's just a matter of enjoying it again.
"To beat Stephen, I'm over the moon. Enjoyment is what it's all about. I wouldn't do it if I didn't like it. I would have probably found something else to do with myself."
Hendry, who has not won a ranking event for four years, was understandably dejected after his latest defeat, in which he scored just one point in the last two frames.
"It's hard to pot balls when there's chaos inside my head," said the Scot. "I know what causes it but I'm not going to tell you.
"The only positive thing from the match is that I played so badly but still only lost 9-7.
"People talk about how good the standard is. But if I got 30% of my old form back, I'd be competing. I only made one break over 70 and I made a lot of mistakes.
"Even if I'd played 5% better I would have won. I'm not going to say I'm playing well in practice because I'm bored of saying it."
Mark Williams, meanwhile, is battling to return to the elite top 16.
The Welshman appeared to be in control at 7-3 against Selby, but the Leicester cueman rattled in three centuries, including a 139, to get back on level terms.
But Williams showed his trademark calmness under pressure to win a scrappy 15th frame and then sealed victory in the next.
"It's an excellent win for me," said Williams. "Apart from Ronnie O'Sullivan who is out on his own, Mark is the next best player in the world. I didn't get a shot from 7-3 to 7-7.
"I've been practising 11 or 12 hours a day and I've got some self-belief. I need everything to click into place, including my head, then who knows how far I can go."
Honh Kong's Marco Fu came back from 5-3 down overnight to beat Barry Hawkins 9-6 and will play Welshman Matthew Stevens in the next round.
Scotland's Stephen Maguire, beaten in the final by Ronnie O'Sullivan last year, made a strong start to his opening match against Jamie Burnett of England.
Maguire led 6-2 at the end of the session, wrapping up his day's work with a break of 66.
That meant he was in a far more comfortable position than fellow Scot John Higgins, the 1998 and 2000 champion, who will resume on Monday tied at 4-4 with Northern Ireland's Joe Swail.
Australian Neil Robertson, winner of the recent Bahrain Championship, and Englishman Michael Holt also shared the first eight frames of their match.
Andrew Higginson gave himself a chance of causing a major shock when he opened up a 5-3 lead over 2006 UK champion Peter Ebdon at the end of their first session.
Mark Allen will resume with a 6-2 advantage over Stuart Bingham, while veteran Steve Davis stands at 4-4 in his contest against Ding Junhui, the 2005 winner.
Davis, 51, led 3-1 but then allowed Ding to move 4-3 in front before levelling up in a tight final frame of the evening. Ding made the top score of the evening session, a break of 130 in the seventh frame.
Shaun Murphy did not have everything his own way against Martin Gould, finishing the session with a 5-3 lead.
Source
Ding downs Davis to make last 16
China's Ding Junhui reached the UK Championship's last 16 by holding off a late fightback from Steve Davis to win 9-6 in a repeat of the 2005 final.
In other first round matches on Monday, former world champion John Higgins secured his place in the second round with a battling 9-7 win over Joe Swail.
Resuming at 4-4, the pair traded frames throughout an attritional session before Higgins took the last two.
And Stephen Maguire overcame fellow Scot Jamie Burnett 9-3.
World number two and last year's runner-up Maguire put in an excellent performance and looked in ominous form.
Other results saw England's Peter Ebdon edge past Andrew Higginson 9-8 while Australia's Neil Robertson beat Michael Holt 9-7.
Ali Carter also overcame fellow Englishman Ian McCulloch, who had to withdraw through illness at 6-2, while Shaun Murphy beat Martin Gould 9-7.
Northern Ireland's Mark Allen completed a comfortable 9-2 victory over England's Stuart Bingham and returns to action on Tuesday to face former world champion Shaun Murphy.
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World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan was in impressive form as the second round got under way in the evening session, hitting three centuries to take a 5-3 overnight lead against Joe Perry.
The world number one fell 2-0 behind early on but levelled with breaks of 127 and 95 before a series of mistakes from Perry allowed him to move ahead.
He then rattled in the highest break of the tournament, 143, and another superb ton, 114, to open up breathing space but Perry took the last of the session to remain in touch.
Other ties from that session saw England's Mark King and Stephen Lee locked at 4-4 while Hong Kong's Marco Fu leads Matthew Stevens 5-3.
Scotland's Graeme Dott also leads Mark Williams 5-3.
Source
O'Sullivan, Dott and Stevens through
Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan survived a superb fightback from Rory McLeod to reach the second round of the UK Championship in Telford.
O'Sullivan rocketed into a 6-0 lead as he knocked in three centuries, but McLeod, the world number 44, produced breaks of 108 and 102 to trail 6-2.
He hit a third successive century, 131, on the resumption and won two more frames to reduce his deficit to 6-5.
But O'Sullivan won the 12th frame and a superb 70 clearance sealed a 9-6 win.
"I hate it when people say I'm a genius and I don't have to work hard at this game, because I do have to battle," said O'Sullivan, who is aiming for a fifth UK title.
"Any win for me at this stage of my career is a result. It was tough. Sometimes you just have to sit it out, and you feel as if it's not going to be your day. It would have been nice to win more easily.
"Credit to Rory because at 6-0 down his head could have gone. In the end I could have been going home because it's all about form and his was stronger than mine."
The world champion will next meet Joe Perry, who had an easy passage into the second round after Mark Davis pulled out early in the second frame because of ill health.
The Sussex player, who has been suffering from a virus, was 1-0 down at the time, but the the result goes down as 9-0 to Perry.
"I've been up all night being sick and feel absolutely terrible," said Davis. "I tried to practise this morning but I had a lot of pain in my stomach."
Graeme Dott also advanced to the second round with a 9-4 victory over fellow former world champion Ken Doherty.
Dott had looked to be in control when he moved 5-0 ahead, with a top break of 120, but Doherty hit back to win the last three frames of the opening session.
A 127 break took him to 6-4, but that was the last frame the Dubliner won in the match as Dott, who has slipped to 48 in the world rankings, eased through to the last 16.
It was his first win in 10 ranking tournaments, a 16-month period that has also seen the Scot diagnosed with depression and break a bone in his left arm playing football which caused him to miss two events.
"It feels fantastic," said Dott, whose wife Elaine gave birth to their second child, a daughter called Lucy, last month.
"I've been working a bit on the mental side of things with my manager Pat Mooney, and it feels great to get the monkey off my back now.
"If I play like I did today, someone will have to play some scary snooker to beat me. Ken is the toughest draw I could have got but I played the best snooker I have played since the year (2006) I won the world title."
Doherty, who has also slipped out of the elite group, said: "I made one or two mistakes and they cost me, otherwise it would have been a lot close.
"I'm glad this year is over because it has been an annus horribilis for me professionally."
Matthew Stevens continued his resurgence as he came through an all-Welsh battle with Ryan Day, the 2003 UK champion winning 9-5.
Stevens, who reached the final of the Bahrain Championship last month, led 5-3 after the opening session.
But Day, up to number three in the provisional world rankings, levelled at 5-5 with breaks of 70 and 89.
Stevens, twice a World Championship runner-up, dominated from then on, rattling in breaks of 70, 54, 54 and 100 to progress.
Fellow Welshman Mark Williams leads world number four Mark Selby 5-3 overnight after reeling off four frames in a row from 3-1 down at the mid-session interval.
Five-time UK champion Stephen Hendry led Stephen Lee 5-3, Mark King was 5-3 up on youngster Judd Trump, and Barry Hawkins was leading by the same margin against Marco Fu.
Source
O'Sullivan rocketed into a 6-0 lead as he knocked in three centuries, but McLeod, the world number 44, produced breaks of 108 and 102 to trail 6-2.
He hit a third successive century, 131, on the resumption and won two more frames to reduce his deficit to 6-5.
But O'Sullivan won the 12th frame and a superb 70 clearance sealed a 9-6 win.
"I hate it when people say I'm a genius and I don't have to work hard at this game, because I do have to battle," said O'Sullivan, who is aiming for a fifth UK title.
"Any win for me at this stage of my career is a result. It was tough. Sometimes you just have to sit it out, and you feel as if it's not going to be your day. It would have been nice to win more easily.
"Credit to Rory because at 6-0 down his head could have gone. In the end I could have been going home because it's all about form and his was stronger than mine."
The world champion will next meet Joe Perry, who had an easy passage into the second round after Mark Davis pulled out early in the second frame because of ill health.
The Sussex player, who has been suffering from a virus, was 1-0 down at the time, but the the result goes down as 9-0 to Perry.
"I've been up all night being sick and feel absolutely terrible," said Davis. "I tried to practise this morning but I had a lot of pain in my stomach."
Graeme Dott also advanced to the second round with a 9-4 victory over fellow former world champion Ken Doherty.
Dott had looked to be in control when he moved 5-0 ahead, with a top break of 120, but Doherty hit back to win the last three frames of the opening session.
A 127 break took him to 6-4, but that was the last frame the Dubliner won in the match as Dott, who has slipped to 48 in the world rankings, eased through to the last 16.
It was his first win in 10 ranking tournaments, a 16-month period that has also seen the Scot diagnosed with depression and break a bone in his left arm playing football which caused him to miss two events.
"It feels fantastic," said Dott, whose wife Elaine gave birth to their second child, a daughter called Lucy, last month.
"I've been working a bit on the mental side of things with my manager Pat Mooney, and it feels great to get the monkey off my back now.
"If I play like I did today, someone will have to play some scary snooker to beat me. Ken is the toughest draw I could have got but I played the best snooker I have played since the year (2006) I won the world title."
Doherty, who has also slipped out of the elite group, said: "I made one or two mistakes and they cost me, otherwise it would have been a lot close.
"I'm glad this year is over because it has been an annus horribilis for me professionally."
Matthew Stevens continued his resurgence as he came through an all-Welsh battle with Ryan Day, the 2003 UK champion winning 9-5.
Stevens, who reached the final of the Bahrain Championship last month, led 5-3 after the opening session.
But Day, up to number three in the provisional world rankings, levelled at 5-5 with breaks of 70 and 89.
Stevens, twice a World Championship runner-up, dominated from then on, rattling in breaks of 70, 54, 54 and 100 to progress.
Fellow Welshman Mark Williams leads world number four Mark Selby 5-3 overnight after reeling off four frames in a row from 3-1 down at the mid-session interval.
Five-time UK champion Stephen Hendry led Stephen Lee 5-3, Mark King was 5-3 up on youngster Judd Trump, and Barry Hawkins was leading by the same margin against Marco Fu.
Source
Sunday 21 December 2008
Walden receives The Masters 2009 wildcard
Ricky Walden has been handed a wild card for January's Masters, completing the line-up for the Wembley event.
Snooker's top invitation tournament is reserved for the world's top 16, but Walden and Judd Trump, who qualified for the event, will also be on show.
"I'm delighted to get the wild card," said 26-year-old Walden.
"I always thought I'd have to get into the top 16 before I played in the Masters, so to get in now is fantastic as it's a massive tournament."
Walden secured his place after winning his first ranking title at the Shanghai Masters in October.
He beat world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-8 in the final and his success in the Far East has seen his provisional ranking jump to 18th.
"This makes winning the tournament in Shanghai even more special," he added.
"I've never played at the Crucible or Wembley and I want to be on the big stage with the top players and showing people what I can do."
Walden will make his debut in the tournament against Mark King on 11 January, while Trump, the world number 41 who beat Mark Joyce in the qualifying final in November, faces Mark Allen a day later.
The Wembley Masters takes place from 11-18 January 2009.
Source
Snooker's top invitation tournament is reserved for the world's top 16, but Walden and Judd Trump, who qualified for the event, will also be on show.
"I'm delighted to get the wild card," said 26-year-old Walden.
"I always thought I'd have to get into the top 16 before I played in the Masters, so to get in now is fantastic as it's a massive tournament."
Walden secured his place after winning his first ranking title at the Shanghai Masters in October.
He beat world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-8 in the final and his success in the Far East has seen his provisional ranking jump to 18th.
"This makes winning the tournament in Shanghai even more special," he added.
"I've never played at the Crucible or Wembley and I want to be on the big stage with the top players and showing people what I can do."
Walden will make his debut in the tournament against Mark King on 11 January, while Trump, the world number 41 who beat Mark Joyce in the qualifying final in November, faces Mark Allen a day later.
The Wembley Masters takes place from 11-18 January 2009.
Source
Murphy beats Maguire in UK semi
World number three Shaun Murphy set up a UK Championship final against Marco Fu with an emphatic 9-4 semi-final win over Scotland's Stephen Maguire.
Murphy was always in control of the match after taking a 6-2 lead in the first session, although Maguire hit back with a flourish as he made a 112.
A superb 136 from Murphy restored his momentum, and a lengthy 11th frame also went his way to put him on the brink.
Maguire made a 115 to stay in the match at 8-4, but Murphy sealed the victory.
Murphy did not always have to be at the peak of his form as Maguire failed to take full advantage of numerous chances at the table.
The final frame was representative of the match of a whole as Maguire got in first before missing a black off the spot after a run of 27.
Murphy gave his opponent two more opportunities, but still managed to get over the finish line as Maguire squandered both of them.
Murphy has had a hugely disappointing season so far, but in Telford the Englishman has regained the form which won him the world title back in 2005.
"The secret is that I'm as fresh as a daisy because I've lost all season," Murphy, who had not won a ranking event match all season until arriving in Telford, told BBC Sport.
"It's been hard - the results have been pretty poor and it's been the worst part of my pro career
"I knew it would turn round and I've just kept working hard."
Maguire's 112 in the ninth frame could have been a 147 maximum break, but he missed the 15th red with an attempted double.
Murphy said Maguire's assault early in the second session had come as no surprise.
"I knew he was going to come at me with all guns blazing," said Murphy.
"I didn't expect a near-maximum in the first frame. I knew I had to answer, and I had a chance and made a good clearance.
"I'm just pleased to get through."
Murphy will play Fu on Sunday for the chance to win his third ranking title and join the elite list of players - including Ronnie O'Sullivan, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry - who have won both the UK Championship and the world title.
Fu, meanwhile, will be looking for his second ranking event victory after his first came in the 2007 Grand Prix in Aberdeen.
Murphy was always in control of the match after taking a 6-2 lead in the first session, although Maguire hit back with a flourish as he made a 112.
A superb 136 from Murphy restored his momentum, and a lengthy 11th frame also went his way to put him on the brink.
Maguire made a 115 to stay in the match at 8-4, but Murphy sealed the victory.
Murphy did not always have to be at the peak of his form as Maguire failed to take full advantage of numerous chances at the table.
The final frame was representative of the match of a whole as Maguire got in first before missing a black off the spot after a run of 27.
Murphy gave his opponent two more opportunities, but still managed to get over the finish line as Maguire squandered both of them.
Murphy has had a hugely disappointing season so far, but in Telford the Englishman has regained the form which won him the world title back in 2005.
"The secret is that I'm as fresh as a daisy because I've lost all season," Murphy, who had not won a ranking event match all season until arriving in Telford, told BBC Sport.
"It's been hard - the results have been pretty poor and it's been the worst part of my pro career
"I knew it would turn round and I've just kept working hard."
Maguire's 112 in the ninth frame could have been a 147 maximum break, but he missed the 15th red with an attempted double.
Murphy said Maguire's assault early in the second session had come as no surprise.
"I knew he was going to come at me with all guns blazing," said Murphy.
"I didn't expect a near-maximum in the first frame. I knew I had to answer, and I had a chance and made a good clearance.
"I'm just pleased to get through."
Murphy will play Fu on Sunday for the chance to win his third ranking title and join the elite list of players - including Ronnie O'Sullivan, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry - who have won both the UK Championship and the world title.
Fu, meanwhile, will be looking for his second ranking event victory after his first came in the 2007 Grand Prix in Aberdeen.
Fu defeats Carter to make final
Marco Fu staged a fine comeback to defeat Ali Carter 9-7 and secure his place in the UK Championship final for 2008.
Fu had been trailing 4-1 at one stage, and was 5-3 down at the first session interval, before ultimately prevailing.
Hong Kong's Fu, who compiled breaks of 104, 106 and 136 in the first nine frames, won four frames in a row from 6-4 down as the momentum shifted.
Fu will now face the winner of Saturday's semi-final between Stephen Maguire and Shaun Murphy.
Carter had led a fascinating battle with Fu for 11 frames before his opponent drew level with a break of 78.
From there Fu went on to record breaks of 75 and finally 85 to clinch a place in the final.
Carter had started the session well, moving into an early 4-1 lead thanks to breaks of 59 and 81, but defeat means the Englishman is still searching for his first ranking title victory.
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