Shaun Murphy mounted a strong comeback to level his World Snooker Championship semifinal against John Higgins at 8-8 on Friday, May 1, 2026, at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The match, which had been scrappy in the first session on Thursday, saw a significant improvement in quality during the afternoon frames.
Murphy, the 2005 world champion, trailed 5-3 after the opening session but won five of the next eight frames to tie the match. Higgins, a four-time world champion, maintained his composure but could not prevent Murphy from drawing level.
The evening session, scheduled for later on Friday, will determine who advances to the final. The winner will face either Kyren Wilson or Jak Jones, who are competing in the other semifinal.
Both players have shown resilience throughout the tournament, with Murphy defeating Mark Selby in the quarterfinals and Higgins overcoming Neil Robertson. The Crucible crowd has been treated to high-quality snooker as the tournament nears its conclusion.
