Shaun Murphy made a strong start to his bid to claim a second World Snooker Championship title 20 years after his first as some heavy scoring saw him take a commanding 7-2 lead against debutant Daniel Wells.
Masters champion Murphy and Wells each made two century breaks in a high-quality session at the Crucible on Tuesday but a run of four frames in a row proved the difference as Murphy flexed his muscles in the first-round encounter.
A break of 64 helped Murphy win the first frame before Welshman Wells responded with a stunning 131 to remind his opponent he means business.
But the 2005 world champion hit back with breaks of 63 and 100 to take a 3-1 advantage into the mid-session interval.
The Magician produced this MAGIC MOMENT the conclude a brilliant century! 🙌#MagicMoments | @midnite pic.twitter.com/AsasGDaqYr
— WST (@WeAreWST) April 22, 2025
Murphy built on his lead from there, with a 57 break moving him 4-1 up before a sensational 138, which he finished with an exhibition shot on the black, took him four clear.
Wells’ second century of the match – a 109 break – reduced his arrears before a 76 from Murphy made it 6-2.
Murphy then overcame an early deficit in the final frame of the session to increase his lead before the match concludes on Wednesday.
Meanwhile Zhang Anda leads fellow Chinese player Pang Junxu 5-3 after winning the final two frames of their marathon session.
A 40-minute first frame set the tone for the morning, with Pang missing the pink when attempting a soft stun at 47-1 up before going on to win an attritional safety battle to take the opener.
Zhang settled any early nerves as he won the second to level the scores before another long, scrappy frame finished with Zhang going 2-1 up.
The fourth swung both ways as a missed black from Zhang ended a break of 41 and opened the door for countryman Pang, but he could not take advantage and Zhang led 3-1 at the interval.
Pang flew out of the blocks after the mid-session break, winning the next two in succession to make it 3-3 before Zhang’s break of 84 in the next restored his lead.
And another 84 from Zhang moved him two clear, with the pair running out of time to complete the allotted nine frames.
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