His path to the final was a "who's who" of snooker legends. Murphy dismantled three former world champions to get there: (13–8) Steve Davis (13–4) Peter Ebdon (17–12) in the semi-finals A Final for the Ages: Murphy vs. Stevens
The "Magician’s" Masterpiece: Remembering the 2005 World Snooker Championship World Snooker Championship 2005
The final against world number six Matthew Stevens was a rollercoaster of momentum. Stevens, a two-time finalist, looked set to finally claim the crown when he took a commanding after the first day. His path to the final was a "who's who" of snooker legends
: The tournament also featured a rare maximum break by Mark Williams in the first round, adding to the event's prestige. Stevens, a two-time finalist, looked set to finally
Before April 2005, Shaun Murphy was a 22-year-old qualifier who had never even won a match at the Crucible. Ranked 48th in the world, he entered the tournament as a massive outsider.