Murphy regrets his timing

SHAUN MURPHY has admitted he regrets the timing of his outburst about amateur players and apologised to opponent Si Jiahui.

Former world champion Murphy bitterly complained that amateurs shouldn’t be allowed to compete in professional tournaments after losing 6-5 to 19-year-old Si in the first round of the UK Championship on Tuesday. Murphy said he had lost to a player ‘who shouldn’t even be in the building’.

Those comments were widely condemned from many within snooker and in the wider sporting world.

Yesterday, Murphy told the BBC: ‘I think if I could go back in time I perhaps wouldn’t have said what I said, having just lost to Si Jiahui. I think it took the shine off his victory and I regret that, and I’d like to apologise to him for that.

‘It was a great win, he played really well. He deserved his victory.

‘Listen, I stand by my point of view. I don’t think amateur players should be allowed to able to play in professional events.

‘Ultimately the powers that be, Steve Dawson (chairman) and his team at World Snooker Tour, they’ve been very clear on the commercial reasons why we allow amateurs and top ups into the game.’

Ronnie O’Sullivan, Kyren Wilson and John Higgins both progressed to round three after victories yesterday at the Barbican Centre.