The link-up between Shaun Murphy and Peter Ebdon continues to be an impressively successful one, with the Magician just one win away from conjuring up a second world title.
Murphy has been superb in Sheffield this year, beating Fan Zhengyi, Xiao Guodong, Zhao Xintong and John Higgins to set up a final with Wu Yize.
He brought former world champion Ebdon into his corner in late 2024 as he looked for an extra dimension to his game in his forties, a move which had almost instant success.
In January 2025, Murphy surged to the Masters title, his first Triple Crown success in a decade and told Metro: ‘I feel like Peter Ebdon has stripped me back to brick in a very short space of time.
‘He saw through some of the outer shell and into my soul and has stripped me of all my defences and got right to the heart of the issue very quickly, it’s amazing.
‘The partnership has borne fruit far quicker than I could have imagined and hopefully we’re just getting started. There’s plenty of room in my trophy cabinet.’
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Murphy has since added the British Open to that trophy cabinet and can now get his hands on the World Championship if the next two days go to plan.
Ebdon has been an influence on him in terms of confidence, tactics and work rate off the table, while he also makes his presence felt in the arena.
Having sat behind Ebdon for the first session of Murphy’s semi-final against Higgins, the man once known as The Force was unexpectedly noisy at times.
At one stage early in the match, Murphy played a safety shot from baulk and Ebdon was enthusiastically clapping before the white passed the blue spot, with the rest of the crowd slightly confused as to why, but then watched the cue ball duly return to nestle right on the baulk cushion.
Another seemingly straightforward pink to middle also got a hearty clap from the balcony, with no one else joining in.
These bursts of applause came between substantial note-making in his book, scribbling which began after just one shot of the match.
On whether he feels Ebdon’s influence while at the table, Murphy said: ‘Yeah, totally. I think that’s where him being a former player, and somebody who’s walked out into that room and been the man to walk away with the trophy, he appreciates just how hard it is.
‘And he might applaud or shout for something that perhaps is unseen to others. And he knows exactly what I’m going through.
‘We’ve been together two years now. We’ve put a lot in that others haven’t seen, that people just don’t see.
‘I know we put all our life on social media, but there is a small bit we keep to ourselves and in those moments are where tournaments are won. And it’s in those moments where we’ve worked very, very hard and it is a real team effort.’
Murphy says Ebdon’s contributions from the crowd are not quite getting messages across to him at the table, but more just his natural enthusiasm for the game.
‘I think for him it’s just a release,’ said the 43-year-old. ‘He puts so much into it, he’s so committed.
‘He coaches like he played. He’s playing every ball, and if he could be out there with a cue, he would be. He’s living and breathing it.
‘[Fiance] Jo and I are fine. Peter needs a medic backstage! Listen, it means so much.’
Murphy and Wu begin their World Championship final at 1pm on Sunday.