The 2005 champion will now play for a second world title, having fallen short in finals in 2015 and 2021. This time, he arrives with momentum after one of the most impressive sessions of the tournament.
Murphy overturns deficit
Murphy began the evening two frames behind and immediately seized control, opening with back-to-back centuries of 132 and 127 to draw level at 13-13.
“I knew I had to start the session well,” he said after the match. “Up until then, I just hadn’t managed to get ahead of John.
“After the first session, I went straight back to the practice table. I hadn’t been in this situation at the Crucible for five years, and I was nervous.”
Higgins responded in kind, producing a composed 88 to edge back in front before the interval and maintain the pressure at 15-13.
Composure tells as Higgins falters
Murphy refused to relent. A third century of the session closed the gap, and a fluent 78 brought him level once more. With the match finely poised, Higgins blinked first, missing a straightforward black in the 31st frame -- an error Murphy punished at the second attempt to move ahead for the first time.
The final frame encapsulated the contest, as Higgins looked set to force a decider after a break of 50, only to miss another black off the spot. Murphy capitalised on a loose safety to clinch victory and complete a remarkable turnaround.
“I’m not going to say it’s just another match, it’s the final, it means so much to me,” he said. “I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”
Murphy was generous in victory, adding: “What a player, what a guy, what a man. If I’m anywhere near as good as him when I’m in my fifties, I’ll be extremely proud.”
Higgins, typically gracious, acknowledged the quality of his opponent’s finish. “Shaun was simply fantastic in the final session,” he said. “In the end, he was just too good.”