Murphy Slams O'Sullivan and Trump for Absence at Crucible Media Day

Professional snooker player Shaun Murphy has expressed disappointment with Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump for not participating in promotional activities for their sport, following their absence from the World Snooker Championship's official media day in Sheffield. The two prominent players may face penalties from the sport's governing body due to their no-show at the pre-tournament event, where the top seeds typically gather for interviews and a photo shoot with the press and broadcasters. Murphy stated, "It has become the norm for them to skip these events, which is unfortunate. They could have contributed more to promoting the game over the years." Murphy believes their absence may tarnish their public image, as the public may view it negatively. O'Sullivan and Trump are set to begin their tournament on Tuesday, competing against He Guoqiang and Gary Wilson, respectively. In recent weeks, O'Sullivan has been based in Ireland, while Trump has been training in Thailand. O'Sullivan, who has the potential to become an eight-time champion and surpass Stephen Hendry's record, has declined all media requests. Meanwhile, Zhao Xintong will begin the tournament on Saturday morning, aiming to break the "Crucible curse" and successfully defend his title. Mark Allen will start his quest for a first world crown against China's Zhang Anda on Saturday morning, and former champion Mark Williams will face Polish qualifier Antoni Kowalski on Saturday afternoon. Allen, a two-time semi-finalist, is looking to improve his patchy record in the tournament, having suffered two consecutive second-round defeats. He stated, "I have been playing well recently and feel more confident than I did six weeks ago. I'm drawing inspiration from Kyren Wilson, who won here despite not having the best season. If I play my best snooker, I have a chance, and I always believe that." The first day's schedule also includes an all-Chinese match between Xiao Guodong and Zhou Yuelong, as well as a match between former finalist Barry Hawkins and Matthew Stevens, a two-time finalist making his first Crucible appearance since 2022.