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

Professional snooker player Shaun Murphy has expressed his disappointment with Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump for not participating in promotional activities for their sport, following their absence at the World Snooker Championship's media day. O'Sullivan and Trump may face penalties for skipping the event, where the top seeds typically gather for interviews and a photo shoot. Murphy stated, 'Their absence has become a norm, which is unfortunate, and they could have done more to promote the game over the years. This might harm their public image, as the audience may view their absence negatively.' The two players are set to start their tournament on Tuesday, with O'Sullivan facing He Guoqiang and Trump facing Gary Wilson. O'Sullivan has been traveling from Ireland, while Trump has been training in Thailand. Meanwhile, Zhao Xintong will begin his title defense against Liam Highfield on Saturday, and Mark Allen will start his campaign against Zhang Anda. Allen expressed confidence in his recent form, saying, 'I've been playing well lately, and I'm more confident than I was six weeks ago. If I play my best, I have a chance to win.' The first day of the tournament will also feature matches between Xiao Guodong and Zhou Yuelong, and Barry Hawkins and Matthew Stevens.