Sean Murphy criticizes Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump after Crucible absence | Snooker News

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump did not attend the press day at the Crucible ahead of the Snooker World Championship; they could face fines from governing bodies; O’Sullivan will start match against He Guoqiang on Tuesday

Ronnie O’Sullivan misses World Snooker Championship press conference

Sean Murphy has criticized Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump for not doing more to promote their sport after missing the official media day on the eve of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

O’Sullivan and Trump could face fines from the sport’s governing body for failing to attend traditional pre-match events, in which the 16th-seeded players gather for photos and interviews with media and broadcasters.

Murphy said: “I think it’s normal that they don’t participate in events like this. I think it’s a real shame and they probably could have done more to help promote the sport over the years.

“I think when the public notices that and realizes that two of the biggest stars in the game aren’t there on Opening Day, it could cause an image problem for those two guys. It’s weird.”

O’Sullivan and Trump will face He Guoqiang and Gary Wilson respectively in Tuesday’s game.

O’Sullivan recently stated his intention to compete from his base in Ireland, while Trump has been training in Thailand.

O’Sullivan could overtake Stephen Hendry to become a record eight-time champion, but he has declined all media requests for interviews.

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Shaun Murphy scored 147 points in the Paddy Power Perfect Challenge for the second year running!

Zhao Xintong will face qualifier Liam Highfield on Saturday morning as he looks to break the so-called “Crucible Curse” and become the first champion to successfully defend his title on the field.

Mark Allen also kicks off his quest for an elusive first world title on Saturday morning against China’s Anda Zhang, while former champion Mark Williams will face first-ever Polish qualifier Antoni Kowalski on Saturday afternoon.

Two-time semi-finalist Allen, a regular favorite at the Crucible, said he will take confidence from recent form as he looks to improve on a patchy record in the Championship following two consecutive second-round defeats.

“I feel like I’ve been playing some good stuff lately, and I’m more confident than I was six weeks ago, going into this field,” Allen said.

“I’ve been here for many years with good performances and a good season but not doing well.

“I try to take inspiration from Kyren (Wilson), who didn’t have the best season but won comfortably here. Ultimately, if I play my best snooker, I have a chance and I will always believe that.”

Day one concludes with an all-Chinese match between Xiao Guodong and Zhou Yuelong, while former finalist Barry Hawkins will take on former two-time finalist Matthew Stevens in his first Crucible appearance since 2022.

Complete first-round draw (best-of-19):

• Zhao Xintong (China) (1) vs Liam Highfield (England)
• Ding Junhui (China) (16) vs David Gilbert (England)
• Xiao Guodong (China) (9) vs Zhou Yuelong (China)
• Sean Murphy (England) (8) vs Fan Zhengyi (China)
• John Higgins(Scotland) (5) vs Ali Carter(England)
• Ronnie O’Sullivan (England) (12) VS He Guoqiang (China)
• Chris Wakeling(England) (13) vs Liam Pullen(England)
• Neil Robertson(Australia) (4) vs Pang Junxu(China)
• Kyren Wilson(England) (3) vs Stan Moody(England)
• Mark Allen (Northern Ireland) (14) vs. Zhang Anda (China)
• Barry Hawkins(England) (11) vs Matthew Stevens(Wales)
• Mark Williams(Wales) (6) vs Antoni Kowalski(Poland)
• Mark Selby (England) (7) vs Jack Jones (Wales)
• Wu Yize (China) (10) vs Lei Peifan (China)
• Si Jiahui (China) (15) vs Hossein Vafaei (Iran)
• Judd Trump(England) (2) vs Gary Wilson(England)