UK Snooker Championship 2021: Shaun Murphy out, John Higgins and Kyren Wilson through



The World Championship final was won by Mark Selby.

The York Barbican is where the coverage will take place from 23 November to 5 December.

The UK Championship can be watched on the radio.

After suffering a shock first-round exit from the UK Championship, Murphy saidamateurs should not be allowed in professional tournaments.

Murphy, who was the UK champion in 2008, forced a deciding frame after falling 6-1 behind, but 19-year-old amateur Si kept his cool to win.

Murphy said that the young man shouldn't be in the tournament.

It is not right.

At the end of last season, Si fell off the main tour and entered the 128-man tournament in York as an amateur.

He looked as if he had missed his chance when he missed the final blue in the seventh frame.

Murphy, who was beaten in the World Championship final by Mark Selby earlier this year, hit back by winning four frames in a row, but missed a blue in the final frame which cost him the match.

Murphy told Radio 5 Live that he had lost to someone who shouldn't be in the building.

I don't understand why amateur athletes are allowed to compete in professional tournaments. This is our income. This is what we do. We are self-employed and not contracted sportsmen. We play for ourselves.

The other 127 runners and riders in the tournament are also making money. It's wrong to walk into someone who isn't playing with the same pressures as I am.

He played like a man who doesn't have a care in the world. It is not fair.

I am not picking on him, he deserved his victory. The amateur should not be allowed in professional tournaments.

This is our income. I put food on the table. This is how I make money. I have been a professional snooker player since I was 15. He has not done that. He shouldn't be near the table.

Winnings for Wilson and Higgins.

Three-time champion John Higgins defeated Michael Georgiou 6-1.

After a 10-4 hammering by Judd Trump in the Champion of Champs final, Scotland's John Higgins responded with two centuries and a 60 break to advance to the next round.

Michael knows what it takes to win a ranking tournament.

He did not play near his standard and struggled a bit, which was helpful for me.

After taking the early lead, Wilson was pegged back to 2-2 by Iran's Soheil Vahedi, but he responded with runs of 112 and 86 to win the match and advance to the next round.

Wilson was whitewashed by Trump in the Champion of Champs event, but he bounced back with a victory.

Wilson didn't play for a few days after that. I was in an eight-ball pool event and it was fun.

It freed a few shackles. I had a few beers and enjoyed myself with friends.

After the win, Grace returned to'scrubbing tables'.

David Grace earned his first prize money on the tour since August after defeating Peter Devlin.

He was going to clean the practice tables at the Northern Snooker Centre on Wednesday.

I will be scrubbing the tables at 7:30am. He said he was looking forward to his alarm going off.

I didn't see a reason to pack it in. It is good for the club that there are professionals keeping the tables to a high standard, as it suits my routine, gets me out of bed on a morning and it is good for the club. I am grateful for the money as well.

Scotland's Stephen Maguire, the champion in 2004, earned a comfortable 6-3 win over amateur Sanderson Lam, Anthony McGill thrashed Ukrainian teenager Iulian Boiko 6-0, and Zhou Yuelong, who reached the semi-finals last year, advanced with a 6-1 win over Chen Zifan.