Masters 2025: Shaun Murphy’s Magic Sends Robertson Out, but Aussie Tips Allen vs Trump Final

The first quarterfinal of the 2025 Masters brought a familiar rivalry back to the table, as Shaun Murphy faced Neil Robertson in a rematch of the 2012 and 2015 finals. Murphy, once again, showcased his mastery of the game, sweeping aside the Australian with a commanding 6-2 victory.

Robertson, a late entrant to the tournament following Ronnie O’Sullivan’s withdrawal, had made a sensational comeback in his previous match, overcoming John Higgins 6-5 after trailing 5-1. Meanwhile, Murphy delivered a professional 6-3 win over Gary Wilson, where he outclassed the ‘Tyneside Terror’ without needing to hit top gear.

Despite holding a dominant 25-14 head-to-head record over Murphy, Robertson was up against a player in sublime form. On a day when almost everything Murphy touched turned to gold, the match featured an agonisingly close 147 attempt in the final frame.

Robertson: ‘If He Plays Like That, He’s Got Every Chance’

Following the match, Robertson reflected on Murphy’s stunning performance and its implications for the rest of the tournament. 

While he praised Murphy’s brilliance, he stopped short of labelling him the favourite to win the Paul Hunter Trophy.

“I wouldn't say the favourite because each match is different, and there's no guarantee that he can play that well. Balls can run different; balls can go a little bit scrappy,” Robertson said. 

“There really wasn’t too much that went wrong for him today, he was getting the chances. If he plays that well, then as long as he gets the run of the ball that you need to win tournaments, then yeah, he's got every chance, he played a great match. Absolutely.”

Robbo Predicts a Trump vs. Allen Final 

When asked to predict the tournament’s outcome, Robertson leaned towards Mark Allen reaching the final from Murphy’s half of the draw, with Judd Trump emerging as the victor from the other side.

“Mark Allen’s beat Judd in finals before, and Mark's really toughened up his game and plays in a way that also makes it very tough for Judd. I think it will be Allen,” Robertson told SportsBoom.com. 

Can Murphy Handle the Grind? 

He further highlighted the challenges Murphy might face in the semifinals, particularly if he encounters Allen or Mark Selby.

“Shaun is going to play against either Selby or Allen, who will look to make it harder. I think they have the capabilities of spoiling it for him. They’ll make the frames go for 15 minutes longer and get Shaun out of his rhythm. He’ll need to be careful with that.”

Robertson also noted Murphy’s partnership with Peter Ebdon, who he believes will play a crucial role in helping Murphy adapt to the ‘dark arts’ of snooker.

“Peter [Ebdon] is with him, and he was king of that. He’ll be able to make sure Shaun doesn’t fall into those little traps, which he has been guilty of in his career when he comes up against someone like Mark Allen or Mark Selby.”

From Aggression to Adaptability: Murphy’s Evolving Approach

Murphy, on the other hand, exuded confidence after his performance and took the opportunity to share a light-hearted joke about Allen and Selby’s notoriously methodical styles of play.

“You can't get involved in what everyone else is doing, and I'm sure the two Marks will go at it tonight. I think we'll be lucky if that finishes today,” Murphy quipped.

“Both of those players, particularly Selby in his first match, looked very, very dangerous and clinical, but you only need to concentrate on you out there,” he said.

Reflecting on his growth as a player, Murphy dismissed any concerns about being thrown off his game by defensive tactics.

“I'm not that sort of 20-odd year-old rookie who burst on and won the world champs. I'm not an inexperienced campaigner anymore. I feel like I've paid my dues and served my time, and if I need to, I can get in the trenches and mix it with anyone in any department in the game,” he explained. 

“I just choose to be more aggressive. I get more fun out of that. I enjoy that more, but I'm happy to play anyone anyway.”

With Murphy riding high on confidence and his game firing on all cylinders, the stage is set for an intriguing semifinal showdown. Whether his attacking flair can overcome the grit of Allen or Selby remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—Murphy is ready for whatever comes his way.