Judd Trump and Shaun Murphy defend Kyren Wilson's 'strange' comments after Masters final - 'He's not the best loser'

React to this story

New Masters champion Shaun Murphy and world No. 1 Judd Trump have both defended world champion Kyren Wilson's contentious comments after the 50th anniversary final of the Masters on Sunday night. Murphy claimed his second Masters title with a 10-7 win over Wilson at Alexandra Palace, but the perceived sour tone of his speech in defeat has apparently not been popular with fans or players.

'He needs this more than me!' - Wilson pays tribute to 'old man' Murphy on Masters title

Video credit: TNT Sports

Judd Trump and Shaun Murphy have both moved to defend Kyren Wilson after the world champion attracted derision for the tone of his speech following the Masters final at Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday.

Wilson lost 10-7 to Murphy before a sell-out crowd of 2,200 fans in the 50th anniversary final of the Masters, but his comments after the match have attracted as much attention among the public as his performance in the showpiece match.

Wilson is due to return to action against Cheung Ka Wai in the first round of the German Masters in Berlin on Monday at 2pm live on Eurosport and discovery+.

Masters

How Murphy reminded the world that he is one of snooker's greatest showmen

20/01/2025 at 19:32

"No disrespect to Shaun, but he's turned into an old man now, so he needs this more than me," Wilson said on Eurosport after the final.

"I'm 33 years old, coming into my prime. I'm having an amazing season.

"Runner-up is obviously not what I want to be, but listen we've got Berlin next week so I'll go and smash it in Germany.

"I just made it too easy for Shaun today, I threw him in the balls too many times. You can't do that with how well Shaun has been playing this week.

"I proved why I'm the world champion. I fought as hard as I could. From 8-4, a lot of people probably would have written me off."

'You can celebrate now!' - The moment Murphy sealed second Masters title with sublime century

Video credit: TNT Sports

Trump - who lost 3-0 to Matthew Selt in the Group 5 final of the Championship League on Tuesday night - felt the debatable nature of Wilson's comments did not "put himself in a good light" with watching fans or fellow players.

"I think the first thing everybody said at the Championship League was: 'Did you watch that?'" Trump was quoted as telling the Metro newspaper.

"I don’t think he particularly put himself in a good light.

"I don’t know if it was a private joke, but it doesn’t seem that many people took it that well, from what I’ve read.

"It’s happened a couple of times, he’s not the best loser. But it’s not the worst thing to be hurting like that.

"It makes you hungrier, and you don’t want to let it happen again when you experience that. Everyone will get over it and it’ll be fine."

Trump led Wilson 3-2 in the Masters semi-finals, but amassed only 15 points in the final four frames in tumbling to a 6-3 defeat on Saturday night.

'Shot of the season' - O'Sullivan, White and McManus pick favourite 2025 Masters moments

Video credit: TNT Sports

"I’ve done it in the past. He probably means what he says. You just can’t really say it," said Trump.

"There’s a fine line between being honest and trying to keep everyone happy.

"Sometimes it’s better to be a little bit false and say something you don’t really mean, just suck it up to keep everyone happy.

"It’s something I’ve tried to learn, but it’s so difficult.

"The atmosphere at the Masters is not nice when you lose. I’ve not lost in one, but can’t imagine it in the final.

"I’ve experienced it at a few other tournaments, and I think that’s probably even worse.

"There’s not that much to read into it, he was hurting a little bit. It’s good to see how much it means to players."

Murphy described some of Wilson's comments as "strange" and "unnecessary", but believes he was only reacting in the immediate aftermath of a defeat that saw him close to 8-7 from 8-4 down before Murphy secured his second Masters title by claiming the final two frames.

It was also Wilson's second defeat in a Masters final after he was denied 10-7 by Mark Allen in 2018.

"I think he’s a really good world champion, and a good role model. I think he does very well," said Murphy on his snooker podcast.

"There were a couple of things he said in the post-match questions, which were either slightly unnecessary or maybe said in the wrong way.

"But before we carry on, I will just say this: you have to put yourself in his shoes for a minute. He’s gutted, and your emotions are so high.

"Literally seconds after a loss, it’s a big match for us both. To have a microphone shoved in your face, it’s a difficult place to be to make sure that you say the right thing at all times.

"He perhaps has been unfairly picked on over the last few days, but yeah, there were a couple of little strange things in there.

"Listen, it’s water off a duck’s back. I think when you give as much out as I give, you have to be able to take a little back.

"I’ve got very broad shoulders."

Meanwhile, Trump returns to action at the Championship League on Wednesday after losing twice to Selt, who reached the winners' group stage next month.

Selt produced breaks of 102, 102 and 95 to complete a 3-0 victory over the 30-time ranking event winner in only 35 minutes in Leicester to join Wilson, Hossein Vafaei, Si Jiahui and Mark Selby in the winners' group next month.

Trump, who beat Joe O'Connor 3-2 in a match that contained five centuries, joins O’Connor, Jak Jones, Tom Ford, David Gilbert, Jack Lisowski and Noppon Saengkham in Group 6.

Jones had earlier beat Selt's record of 24 centuries, the most at a professional competition, by moving onto 26 at this year's invitational event.

- - -

Stream top snooker action, including the German Masters on discovery+

Masters

Wilson: 'Old man' Murphy needed Masters title more

20/01/2025 at 11:15

Masters

Murphy credits Ebdon for relighting fire ahead of Masters triumph - 'I lost my self-belief'

20/01/2025 at 16:38