Judd Trump and Shaun Murphy will contest the 2024 Shanghai Masters final on Sunday in China.
Trump joined his fellow former world champion in the title-deciding affair courtesy of a 10-3 demolition of Ronnie O’Sullivan in the second semi-final on Saturday.
The 34 year-old produced a clinical display to end his opponent’s long reign – the Rocket having not lost in Shanghai since 2016.
Trump, who triumphed five times on the main tour during a prolific 2023/24 campaign, compiled four century breaks including three in a row during an opening session that he won 8-1.
It matched Murphy’s four-ton performance on Friday when the Magician fought back from 6-2 behind in terrific fashion to deny Mark Selby with a 10-8 scoreline.
A Shanghai Masters final between Trump and Murphy ensures that there will be a new name on the trophy this year.
Both Englishmen have gone this far before without being able to get their hands on the silverware.
Murphy lost to O’Sullivan in the 2019 showdown for glory when he was narrowly edged out in an 11-9 thriller.
Trump, meanwhile, was denied by the same person in 2017 and also lost a couple of painful deciders before that when the competition was previously staged as a ranking event.
If the duo can produce the same level again as they managed in their respective semi-final clashes, the 2024 Shanghai Masters final promises to be a treat.
Trump and Murphy have encountered each other almost 40 times over the years, and it’s the former who enjoys a healthy advantage from their head-to-head record.
In fact, the world number two has emerged victoriously almost twice as many times as Murphy, including in all three of their most recent meetings.
The pair’s last final against one another also took place in China when Trump thumped Murphy 10-3 to capture the 2019 International Championship crown.
Murphy has won silverware at Trump’s expense as well, albeit over a much shorter best-of-seven format at the 2017 Gibraltar Open.
There will be some sadness this weekend among people within the sport following the news of the death of legend Ray Reardon.
The Welshman, a six-time world champion and snooker’s first world number one, died at the age of 91 on Friday evening.
A pioneer of the modern era, Reardon would undoubtedly have loved watching Trump and Murphy battle it out with a prestigious title and a huge champion’s cheque on the line.
Let’s hope they can produce a showdown that can live up to the special occasion, and in doing so pay a small tribute to one of the all-time greats of snooker.
2024 Shanghai Masters draw
Round 1 (bo11)
Zhang Anda 3-6 Zhou Jinhao
Ali Carter 6-0 Qiu Lei
Tom Ford 3-6 Si Jiahui
Mark Williams 6-3 Wang Xinbo
Gary Wilson 5-6 Pang Junxu
Jak Jones 2-6 Cao Jin
John Higgins 6-1 Lyu Haotian
Barry Hawkins 4-6 Zhou Yuelong
Round 2 (bo11)
Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-1 Zhou Jinhao
Ding Junhui 6-5 Ali Carter
Luca Brecel 2-6 Si Jiahui
Judd Trump 6-2 Mark Williams
Mark Allen 5-6 Pang Junxu
Mark Selby 6-1 Cao Jin
Shaun Murphy 6-3 John Higgins
Kyren Wilson 0-6 Zhou Yuelong
Quarter-Finals (bo11)
Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-3 Ding Junhui
Si Jiahui 2-6 Judd Trump
Pang Junxu 3-6 Mark Selby
Shaun Murphy 6-2 Zhou Yuelong
Semi-Finals (bo19)
Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-10 Judd Trump
Mark Selby 8-10 Shaun Murphy
Final (bo21)
Judd Trump vs Shaun Murphy
(July 21: 7am and 12:30pm UTC+1)
Featured photos credit: WST
