Shaun Murphy gives update on retirement after agonising World Snooker Championship final defeat

Murphy's sole World Championship triumph came all the way back in 2005, when he entered the tournament as a 125/1 outsider.

Since then, however, he's endured defeat three times at the last stage - with his loss to Wu coming after previous defeats to Stuart Bingham and Mark Selby in 2009 and 2021 respectively.

These days, snooker players are lasting longer than ever.

Members of the Class of 92, including Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams, remain committed to the sport.

And Murphy, speaking exclusively to GB News, has now admitted that he's determined to keep playing for as long as possible, with his passion very much undimmed.

"No, not at all," he said when asked whether he had a timeframe in mind for when he hangs up his cue. "I mean, the Class of 92 have totally rewritten the rules on that.

"When I started playing snooker, I would have already been retired by my age.

"They've shown that you can carry on into your early 50s and beyond. None of those three are showing any signs of going away. They're not going anywhere.

"So I suppose whatever age they reach, that's the age that we're all going to target. They're a good seven and a half, eight years ahead of me yet, so I'd like to think I've got some life in me just yet.

"They're not going anywhere and neither am I."

Some of snooker's biggest names have, in recent years, found the schedule increasingly gruelling.

Players are often taken all over the world to play, something that can certainly take a toll.

But Murphy loves being able to travel abroad, admitting that it's one of the biggest appeals.

"I enjoy the travelling, I enjoy going around the world, seeing different places," he continued.

"I'm very grateful that snooker has given me that opportunity to go off and see these far flung reaches of the planet, you know, I enjoy all that.

"I spend a lot more time on a physios table now than I used to due to the stretching and I think if I could have my career again, I'd definitely pay a lot more attention to that.

"Just taking care of yourself and, you know, being flexible and all of that stuff.

"Snooker isn't a great profession to ask the body to take repetitively for 35 years.

"And so I'm now paying the price for that. But my physio is very well paid. I don't think she minds."

One thing Murphy believes has changed over the years is, however, the behaviour of fans.

During his enthralling contest with Higgins at the World Championship last month, the 43-year-old was heckled by a spectator who muttered 's**t shot' in his direction.

Murphy admits that he was unfazed by the incident but thinks it points to a wider shift in fan conduct.

"Society's changing and an audience is reflective of society, isn't it?" he said.

"You've got mobiles going off all the time. People can't seem to spend two minutes off their phones.

"It's incredible, actually, and the way the world's changed. So, you know, it's reflective of the way the world is different.

"I sound like an old man. I feel like a young man, but I know I sound like an old man.

"I was trying to explain to my children that when I was their age, I had to watch what was on TV. I didn't get to decide what I watched.

"And my little boy, you know, looked at me like I had three heads.

"He said to me 'daddy, what did you used to watch on YouTube?'

"I said we didn't have YouTube. That wasn't the thing. Trying to explain that to my kids was quite funny.

"It was very tongue in cheek at the Crucible. The guy shouted out 's**t shot'. It was actually quite a good shot.

"I don't think there's any malice in it, as silly as it sounds. And I don't think there was any meanness in it. I think people just forget themselves."