It was one of those snooker nights you can’t take your eyes off — a match that had everything: momentum swings, centuries, nerves, and a final-frame twist that left both players speechless.
The 20-year-old Chinese newcomer Ma Ha-Long, ranked just No. 75 in the world, pulled off the biggest win of his young career by defeating former world champion Shaun Murphy in a tense decider at the Welsh Open — and he did it in the most extraordinary way imaginable: with a fluke on match ball.
As the final frame unfolded, neither man could take control. Both missed, both fought for safety dominance. In the end, it came down to one heart-stopping exchange.
Ma played a tight safety that accidentally sent the red toward the middle pocket. The crowd gasped as it clipped the jaw… and dropped.
“Fair play — he kept his composure,” said one pundit after the match. “Yes, it was a fluke at the end, but sometimes you’re dealt those cards. And he deserved it. He handled the pressure beautifully.”
Moments later, the young cueist clenched his fist in disbelief — a mix of relief, shock, and joy. His victory sent him through to the second round of the tournament for the first time in his career.
For much of the middle phase, it seemed Murphy had weathered the storm. He produced two century breaks back-to-back and looked every inch the dominant former champion.
Commentators in the studio even said at one point:
“Ma Ha-Long will learn a lot from this defeat.”
But defeat never came. The youngster regrouped, kept his head down, and clawed his way back — frame by frame. Even under the glare of the TV lights and the weight of Murphy’s experience, he refused to crumble.
“He made a few over-aggressive shots, sure,” one analyst noted, “but that’s youth — that’s courage. He didn’t fold. He adapted. And when the moment came, he took it.”
By the time the fluke red sealed the frame, the studio was on its feet. It wasn’t just luck — it was survival, instinct, and composure under crushing pressure.
Afterward, a visibly heartbroken Shaun Murphy spoke with painful honesty.
“Sick,” he said quietly. “Absolutely sick. But that’s the game, isn’t it? That’s why we love it — and hate it — in equal measure.”
Murphy had done everything right. He’d fought back from behind, made two centuries, and even clawed two crucial snookers in the decider. But fate — and one rolling red — had other ideas.
“The last two matches I’ve lost, in Berlin and here, have both been deciders,” Murphy added. “I’ve not had a chance to win either of them. I thought when I got the two snookers that maybe the snooker gods would give me an opportunity… but it wasn’t to be.”
Despite the sting of defeat, Murphy was gracious:
“Take that last frame out of it, and my opponent was excellent. I can only praise him. I tried my best — and lost.”
Back in the studio, the reaction was mixed — admiration for the underdog, sympathy for the veteran.
“He’ll wake up tomorrow and replay that fluke over and over again,” said one commentator. “It hurts all over again the next morning — that’s sport for you.”
Murphy’s loss also carried ranking implications. With valuable points on the line and Crucible qualification approaching, the defeat could prove costly.
“He’ll find the points from somewhere,” another analyst added. “He’s playing well this season — better than he has in years — but time’s running out.”
Still, all agreed on one thing: the match embodied everything unpredictable and emotional about snooker.
For Ma Ha-Long, the win means far more than a place in round two. It marks his arrival — a fearless young player who dared to challenge one of the sport’s greats and held his nerve when it mattered most.
He may have fluked the final ball, but his composure throughout proved this wasn’t luck alone — it was earned.
“You always need that little bit of luck to get off the line,” the studio concluded. “And tonight, Ma Ha-Long deserved his.”
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