World Snooker Championship: China’s Si tipped to win it all after stunning victory over Shaun Murphy in first round
- “I think he will be the first Chinese World Champion,” says 2005 winner Murphy after stunning loss in deciding frame
- Si, who is ranked 80th in the world, will face Robert Milkins next at the Crucible on Saturday
China’s Si Jiahui has been tipped become his country’s first world champion after his stunning first round victory over Shaun Murphy in Sheffield, in a game the 20-year-old said he “didn’t really play to win”.
Si held his nerve in a back-and-forth tussle at the Crucible with the 2005 winner, eventually coming out on top in a deciding frame on Thursday to beat the world No 4, 10-9.
Ranked 76 places below his opponent, Si produced a major upset by knocking out one of the pre-tournament favourites despite managing just one century, and Murphy said he had thrown “everything at him”.
“I really enjoyed it, it was exciting. I just came out on the wrong end,” Murphy said. “He was fabulous from start to finish. I think he will be the first Chinese World Champion – maybe not this time, but I believe he will be the first.
“I see things in him that some of the other players don’t have. He’s got a bit of swagger, he’s very talented, plays right and left handed, gets on with it and always tries to attack. I tried my absolute best and I still lost.”
Si’s next step at the Crucible will be a best-of-25 contest with world No 14 Robert Milkins of England, which begins on Saturday.
Making his debut at the prestigious event, Si said he had “just wanted to learn” from being at the same table as Murhpy, and would not have been too upset if he had lost because “I did perform well and I was so happy out there”.
“Shaun has had a brilliant season so I never thought I could have done this,” Si added.
