‘I was on it from the first ball’published at 12:54 BST
12:54 BST
Xiao 3-13 Murphy
Shaun Murphy speaking to BBC Sport, after reaching the last eight of the World Snooker Championship: “Delighted. Great lead at 6-2 and that last frame of the first session was massive yesterday. Mathematically it is possible to win with a session to spare but you don’t think it’ll happen. I kept getting those little chances and am delighted with how I played.
“It doesn’t happen often because everyone is so good. I am thrilled with it. We are going to ship out of Sheffield for a few days and go home and get on my practice table at home. I can do as much as I want instead of trying to dodge in for a half hour at the Crucible. I can spend the next few days getting ready for what is going to be a big game.
“I don’t know if I would use the word desperate but it’s very close [on wanting to win a second world title]. It’s been 21 years since that totally clueless 22-year-old kid walked in and nicked the trophy from everybody and I have come back every year trying my hardest to repeat that magic and not been able to.
“I got out of jail in the first round and you could make an argument that I should not even be sat here. I was on it from the first ball.”