Shaun Murphy issues warning to Ronnie O'Sullivan and snooker rivals after Masters triumph - The Mirror

Shaun Murphy beat world champion Kyren Wilson 10-7 to win his first Masters title in a decade and now 'The Magician' has his sights set on winning an even bigger prize in April

Masters champion Shaun Murphy has warned rivals including Ronnie O'Sullivan that he's ready to continue his resurgence and win the snooker world title.

Murphy, 42, won his second Masters tournament on Sunday, staving off a late comeback from Kyren Wilson to beat the reigning world champion 10-7 at Alexandra Palace. His victory ended a barren run of 10 years without winning one of the Triple Crown events, all of which he'd won previously in his career.

But now 'The Magician' is back in form, insisting that there's 'life in the old dog yet' 20 years on from winning his first World Championship. Murphy hopes to repeat his heroics at this year's tournament, sending a clear message to rivals like O'Sullivan, who withdrew from the Masters on medical grounds.

"The masters win definitely gives me renewed confidence that come the World Championships in April," the 42-year-old revealed, talking to Champions Speakers, a leading keynote speakers agency. "I still have it in me to go all the way."

Murphy added: "I thought my time of victory had gone. I knew I still had it in me for the odd little match here or there, or for a little bit of a flash in the pan every now and again. But to do it all week, to play really well and to win, I’m absolutely blown away because I genuinely thought those days had gone for me.

"Over the last few seasons I've had a number of tough defeats to soak up. They do take their toll. It's very difficult in snooker as you don't have team-mates to rely on, it is just for you out there with your thoughts."

It wasn't all smooth sailing in the final for Murphy, who led 6-2 going into the evening session. Wilson got himself back in the game by winning five of the next seven frames, making it 8-7.

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But the magic returned for Murphy, who hit a magnificent 147 break in his semi-final, as he lifted the Paul Hunter Trophy and banked a cool £350,000 in prize money. "When your opponent starts making a run at you, as you expect from a world champion like Kyren Wilson, he's not going to lie down," he explained.

"I expected that onslaught from him, you have to just soak it up. You have to just not panic, you're watching the scoreboard tick over, you had a four frame lead that's now dwindling away, he gets to within one.

"Obviously, you see the set-up (before Wilson's missed red) and thoughts of previous tournaments come back, but I didn't go to Ali Pali for that. I went for the trophy. I thought, this is my moment. Stand up and do it now.

"That was a good mantra for me, forget what's gone, wipe the slate clean, just pot the balls that are in front of you, and you'll be a champion."