Shaun Murphy admits that seeing this week’s German Masters returning to Berlin feels like a huge moment for snooker. The tournament staged at the 2,500-capacity Tempodrom starting on Wednesday will be the first major snooker event overseas for two years due to the Covid pandemic.
And former world champion Murphy, 39, insists it feels like coming out of hibernation after so much time playing behind closed doors at a temporary venue in Milton Keynes. The game has also lost several lucrative China events from the calendar over the past 24 months – although they too may be back online later this year.
World No7 and 2015 Berlin finalist Murphy, who plays Kurt Maflin in the first round, said: “To be honest, I am surprised it is happening and going ahead – but very grateful it is.
“Snooker is so popular in Germany and we have seen crowds in Berlin the like of which you don’t see anywhere else. Part of our job is travelling around the world playing in different countries and venues – and we haven’t been doing that. So this feels like a very big moment.
“The wider situation we have all found ourselves in has affected our sport, with this being the first tournament overseas for two years. And with the world hopefully opening up and travel and quarantine restrictions set to ease, it has the smell of coming out of hibernation.
“I would never have guessed when we packed up before the Tour Championships in Llandudno and walked away that it would have taken this long – but it has been so serious. And walking out at the Tempodrom we will all feel like international sportspeople again.
“I must admit I am so out of the habit that I left the protective ski tube I use for my cue in the hold back home in Ireland before flying out to Germany – and had to borrow one from Ben Woollaston.
“Berlin is a fabulous city, one I know very well having been going there for almost 15 years. And I have visited the odd public house and Irish bar over time. There is so much history to take in, what with sections of the old wall, the Holocaust Memorial.
“I got invited to the British Embassy once with Mark Selby to play snooker and do an exhibition for the Ambassador – who turned out to be a Selby and Leicester City fan! Even before the German Masters began again in 2011, a few of us had been out there spreading the gospel. First it was Paul Hunter, Matthew Stevens and Ian McCulloch.
“And then myself, Mark Selby and some others along with Brandon Parker, my late former manager and the founder of this event really along with the promoter Thomas Cesal. Some of the things we trialled in exhibitions seemed to work in the Tempodrom, and that was a fitting and perfect venue for a ranking tournament 11 years ago.”
Ken Doherty has also made it to the venue through qualifying. The former world champion, now 52, claimed two excellent wins over Chris Wakelin and Matthew Stevens to take his place in the line-up.
Doherty, who takes on Sam Craigie on Thursday, said: “The European Masters, also scheduled for Germany, is not going ahead in Furth and was moved back to the UK to be played. But thankfully this one is going ahead.
“We are used to being an international sport, travelling all over the world to play in front of fans in different countries – but so much of the time has been behind closed doors in Milton Keynes.
“So the players are delighted to be going away to Germany, and to be playing at the Tempodrom. It is a special crowd who love their snooker. We appreciate that Germany has allowed the tournament to go ahead with the crowds back, and it feels like a big step back to normality.
“It has been very difficult not doing what we do, playing all over the world. World Snooker did a tremendous job putting the events on behind closed doors to keep players playing and earning. And that was at a time when other sports were really struggling and often not able to do that.
“Losing the Chinese tournaments, many of which were very big-money events, has been a big blow for the sport. So going away again is a big boost for everyone. And I’m sure the crowd will be really looking forward to having the event back after missing out last year. I think it will be one of the best German Masters there has been in the history of the tournament, because of the emotions of both the players and fans.”
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