Shaun Murphy: 'It's about winning titles ultimately'

On the other side of sport, Shaun feels being a father is the most challenging and rewarding experience for him now.

The 35-year-old says that it is always a nice feeling to be a world champion especially when you read out the names of some of the greats of the sport. 

Shaun Murphy is chasing a twin-target - to win the World championship again and be the World No. 1. And, the 2005 world champion says that he is really playing well and is confident of realising these goals. 

"I feel I have another 10 years to have a go to achieve these goals," he says with a big smile.  

"Yes, it is all about winning titles ultimately and I look at this on-going Indian Open (world ranking tournament) as a huge event," says the 35-year-old Englishman.  

The 35-year-old says that it is always a nice feeling to be a world champion especially when you read out the names of some of the greats of the sport.  

"The competition is so intense that you have to fight for every win. No one has a God-given right to win. Just because you are Shaun, it doesn't mean you have a right to win. You have to earn the title the hard way," he said  
 

"If you remember Anthony Hamilton won a ranking tournament after being in the circuit for 26 long years," he reminded to substantiate his argument. 

"So, I feel it is a great honour to read my name in the list of world champions. Well, even if I don't win another title, I will still be a happy man for I love snooker and nothing else," he said.  

Shaun says that the Indians are essentially touch-artists on the green baize unlike many other internationals who play the power game hitting the cue ball really hard. "The Indians just caress the balls around so delicately and it is a different kind of challenge playing them," says Shaun.  

Shaun says that  if you  look at some of the disciplines which are already there in Olympics,  serious questions do crop up if cue sports is not included.

On the Indian Open, Shaun feels that it is one of the best organised events in the circuit but says that there is a serious risk factor of it not having 'home' as it keeps moving from one City to the other. "This is unlike in other countries where the major Opens are held in only one City. It might just miss the unique identity factor," he said.  

On the other side of sport, Shaun feels being a father is the most challenging and rewarding experience for him now.