Murphy Shatters O'Sullivan's Snooker Record with Historic China Open Whitewash

Shaun 'The Magician' Murphy pulled off a genuinely jaw-dropping feat at the 2026 China Open, absolutely demolishing a 12-year-old snooker record held by none other than Ronnie O'Sullivan. In a stunning first-round match on Sunday, Murphy scored an incredible 607 points without reply against Matthew Selt, cruising to a 6-0 victory. This performance didn't just win him the match; it rewrote the history books, smashing O'Sullivan's previous record of 556 unanswered points. The sheer dominance of Murphy's display cannot be overstated. O'Sullivan's benchmark, set during the 2014 Masters, had stood as a testament to pure, uninterrupted scoring power. Murphy's monumental effort, which included four consecutive century break and a near-maximum, comes as the China Open makes a highly anticipated return to the World Snooker Tour calendar after a seven-year absence due offering a massive £1.2 million prize fund and critical ranking points. His flawless run underscored the significance of this tournament as a key ranking event for players aiming to climb the global standings. Murphy now advances to the last 16, setting a formidable tone for his campaign. While O'Sullivan also managed to win his first-round match against Jackson Page despite a slow start, world number one Judd Trump faced an unexpected early exit, losing to Noppon Saengkham. All eyes will now be on Murphy to see if 'The Magician' can maintain this unbelievable form and continue his deep run in what promises to be a thrilling tournament, highlighting the unpredictable nature of top-tier snooker.