UK Championship 2024: Shaun Murphy Slams Ronnie O’Sullivan’s Chalk Choice as a ‘Spoiler’ in York

2008 UK Championship winner Shaun Murphy overcame China’s number one Ding Junhui in a nail-biting 6-5 encounter to secure his spot in the quarterfinals at the York Barbican.

The match was finely balanced throughout, with the two titans locked at three frames apiece early on. However, the pivotal moment came in the seventh frame, where Ding, poised to claim the frame on the final blue, suffered an unusual bounce-out on the middle-right pocket. The error gifted Murphy a lifeline, allowing him to edge ahead 4-3.

Ding responded with a flourish, producing back-to-back century breaks to level the match at 5-5. 

But Murphy, known as "The Magician," demonstrated his resilience and skill, holding his nerve in the decider to seal a hard-fought victory.

Table Conditions Take Centre Stage

Murphy’s thrilling win wasn’t the only topic of discussion. Table conditions at the tournament, particularly on Table 1, have drawn criticism from players, with Judd Trump and Stuart Bingham among those voicing concerns.

“Ballrun” Bingham, pointed to the use of old-school Triangle chalk by some players as a contributing factor. 

The Legendary Ronnie O’Sullivan and former world champion Luca Brecel had both adopted this chalk on the same table prior to Bingham’s clash, which he believed was a factor for the below par conditions. 

While modern chalks like TAOM are designed to optimise arena conditions, the older Triangle chalk has been accused of affecting table performance.

Murphy’s match against Ding marked the first game played on Table 1 after a full re-cloth, a standard tournament practice at this stage. With the table newly recovered, conditions improved significantly, producing a high-quality match featuring five century breaks.

Murphy Weighs in on Chalk Debate

After his victory, Murphy backed Bingham’s stance, labelling players who continue to use Triangle chalk as "spoilers" for the rest of the field.

“I've absolutely no idea why some players still use what is obviously a bit of a spoiler,” Murphy told SportsBoom.com. 

The debate has raised questions about whether such chalk should be banned, given its impact on table conditions. Comparisons have been drawn to other sports, where equipment like Speedo’s LZR Racer swimsuit, once dominant at the 2008 Olympics, was eventually banned.

However, Murphy believes enforcing a chalk ban would be impractical.

“I don't think so. I think it would be very hard for the governing body to insist that all players use a particular brand of chalk. It's an accessory,” he explained.

“They'd be telling us what tips and cues to use next. I don't think that could happen. It is completely personal choice.”

Hawkins Next for The Magician 

Murphy’s reward for his victory over Ding is a quarterfinal clash with Barry Hawkins, who eliminated Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last 32. Despite Hawkins traditionally being viewed as an underdog in the latter stages of Triple Crown events, Murphy sees him as the favourite.

“Anyone who beats Ronnie, they almost go on to become the tournament favourite,” Murphy told the World Snooker Tour’s social team.

“I hope he feels as much pressure as possible,” he added with a grin.

Murphy will now aim to build on his performance as he continues his quest for a second UK Championship title.