Murphy happy to avoid ‘a couple of grenades’ in World Championship draw

The 2005 winner of the competitors begins his marketing campaign in opposition to Lyu Haotian within the first spherical, and admitted reduction at swerving the likes of Stephen Maguire and Jack Lisowski early on.

“There’s clearly a few grenades that you might have prevented – [Stephen] Maguire was one in every of them, [Jack] Lisowski one other.

“I’m comfortable to have prevented these. After that, I imply it’s simply take your decide, isn’t it? Lyu Haotian on his day can beat anybody, as can I.”

Murphy was grateful to not undergo the arduous qualifying route, however is cautious of going through somebody like Lyu, who battled previous Daniel Wells and Jenson Kendrick to make it into the principle draw.

“I’m delighted to nonetheless be within the 16 and seeded by way of, to not should undergo the rigmarole of the qualifiers,” Murphy stated.

“The opposite aspect of that’s that the qualifiers who come by way of are sharp, they’re prepared, they’re hungry, they’re at it.

“Like all first rounders, it’s going to be like that first fence on the Grand Nationwide.

“I haven’t been concerned within the championship the previous couple of years. I received to the ultimate three years in the past. I’ve misplaced within the first spherical within the final two championships.

“I both appear to have a very deep run to the semis or last, or get bumped out within the first spherical.

“So I’m hoping that I can buck my latest pattern and get out of the primary spherical, get by way of that melee of the primary fence.”

Two-time Crucible semi-finalist Mark Allen was concerned within the draw itself and picked out a number of the standout ties involving the game’s greatest names.

“There’s a few large video games there,” Allen instructed the BBC. “Luca [Brecel] vs [Dave] Gilbert to kick issues off on Saturday.

“Ronnie [O’Sullivan] in opposition to Jackson [Page], who loves the large event. [Judd] Trump in opposition to [Hossein] Vafaei, Ding [Junhui] in opposition to [Jack] Lisowski a ridiculous match for the primary spherical as properly.

“What a match-up with Joe O’Connor [against Mark Selby], two Leicester boys, two good associates in order that could possibly be a superb one as properly.”

Allen faces an arguably much less eye-catching opening showdown in opposition to Robbie Williams, however heaped the plaudits on the person making his fourth look on the event.

“Robbie is somebody I’m an enormous admirer of truly and the way in which he got here by way of that qualifier the opposite day from 9-8 down, he’s a category participant however they’re all good gamers on the finish of the day,” Allen stated.