Shaun Murphy v Barry Hawkins live stream | Tour Championship 2025 Preview
Murphy and Hawkins do battle once more on Monday (PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo)
Shaun Murphy and Barry Hawkins do battle for the third time in as many events when they face off in the Tour Championship first round on Monday.
The players ranked 11th and 12th in the world respectively renew their rivalry at Manchester Central, for the right to play world number one Judd Trump in the quarter-finals.
Having lost their UK Championship meeting in November, Murphy is now looking to make it three straight wins over Hawkins, having prevailed from their showdowns at the World Grand Prix and Players Championship last month.
The Magician returns to the elite event, which he won in 2023, after failing to qualify 12 months ago, and subsequently missing the opportunity to defend his title.
Masters champion in January, Murphy was also runner-up at the Shanghai Masters earlier in the season, while runs to the semi-finals at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and World Grand Prix represent his best performance at ranking events this term.
Meanwhile, Hawkins has come agonisingly close to adding to his silverware collection, losing out in the finals of the UK Championship and German Masters to Trump and Kyren Wilson respectively.
The Hawk was also whiskers away from reaching the final of this event four years ago, losing 10-9 to Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last four having led 9-7, while he was beaten 10-8 by Ali Carter in the 2024 first round.
It is fair to say he does not arrive in Manchester at the peak of his powers, having won just one of his last three matches since reaching the World Open quarter-finals at the end of February.
The match breaks off at 1pm BST on Monday and will be contested over the best of 19 frames at Manchester Central.
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