Shaun Murphy put on the spot
As the World Snooker Championship once again takes centre stage at the Crucible tomorrow Shaun Murphy is put on the spot by Derek Fish.
What are your thoughts on this year's championship?
The World Championship is a funny one. Everyone starts preparing for it throughout the year. I've been looking forward to it since last May but I'm not getting carried away. I've been practising hard and can't wait to get started.
You are now the provisional world number one and that must give you a boost? Or does it put extra pressure on you?
It's completely irrelevant as regards the tournament; it just means I've gathered more points than anyone else. What I need to do now is go ahead and finish the job.
If I was offered the choice between being World No1 or winning the World Championship, I'd take the title. I'm not going to beat myself up about it. Being World No1 never affected the way Stephen Hendry or Steve Davis played and that's the way it will be for me.
Have you approached the championship any differently this year?
I've developed my game all season for this tournament. I've worked really hard on my fitness because this is like an endurance race .. . it's not just about who plays the best snooker but also about the one who can keep standing up!
I've now got myself a personal trainer, Ian Collins, and he's been brilliant. When I won the title in 2005 I felt very good going into the tournament, both mentally and physically but this year I feel better than I've ever done. I've just got to string five wins together.
How do you view your first round match against Dave Harold?
I think there could have been easier draws but also harder ones. Dave's a very, very good player. He's been around a long time and he's a winner. He won't give me anything and I'll have to win it. The local support will be invaluable and really helps ... it acts like a 12th man.
It appears to be a wide-open championship this year. Would you agree with that?
There's a number of players who have a chance of winning it, myself included but the standard of snooker is now so high that just about anyone could win it. In the end it may well come down to who's the best prepared and who gets that little bit of luck that we all need.
So who are the biggest threats?
The form players such as Stephen Maguire and Mark Selby are looking strong while Ronnie O'Sullivan can never be discounted although it depends how he's feeling on the day. It's about making the most of your chances; if you're given them you've got to take them. As far as I'm concerned it's in my hands and I firmly believe that.
Does the Crucible still have the same buzz for you?
I called in at the Crucible this week and as soon as I walked in the hairs on the back on my neck stood up. It's definitely the home of snooker ... it's our Wimbledon, our Wembley; a very, very special place. I'm just a bit disappointed i don't play until next Tuesday, so I've got four days to watch everyone else twitch!
How much does your Christian faith play a part?
If you have a faith, whatever it may be, then you constantly apply it ... it affects every part of my life and that includes my snooker. I always pray before I play. I used to pray that God would let me win every match but that, of course, is unworkable. Now if I play the best I can, then I'm happy with that.
Do you and your wife Claire still see Rotherham as your home?
Very much so. All Claire's family are here. We live in Whiston but wherever we are in the world we always look forward to coming home.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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