Stephen Hendry addresses Kyren Wilson’s jibe at Shaun Murphy after Judd Trump claim

Kyren Wilson has been wide criticised for his comments astir Shaun Murphy aft losing the Masters final, but Stephen Hendry has present defended the satellite champion

Snooker fable Stephen Hendry has had his accidental connected the furore sparked by Kyren Wilson's remarks astir Shaun Murphy pursuing his decision successful the Masters final.

Wilson's jibe astatine Murphy, 42, calling him an "old man" and suggesting "he needs this much than me", raised eyebrows. Judd Trump labelled the 33-year-old "not the champion loser" aft his arguable post-match comments.

Despite overcoming Trump successful the semi-finals astatine Alexandra Palace, Wilson was beaten 10-7 by Murphy successful the final. Now, seven-time world champion Hendry has travel to his defence implicit his post-match speech, insisting he's not a instrumentality of "seeing bully losers".

On the Snooker Club podcast with Mark Watson, Hendry weighed successful connected Watson's presumption that Wilson didn't instrumentality his nonaccomplishment well, concurring erstwhile asked if it's beneficial for 'the warrior' to person a spot of wound successful his character. "I don't similar seeing bully losers," said Hendry, arsenic per the Express.

"There's a saying, 'if you amusement maine a bully loser, I'll amusement you a loser'. In sport, I deliberation there's a batch of information successful that. I'm not bothered that he's a atrocious loser. That's however it should be. Why would you bask losing?

"The Masters was a monolithic game. He fought back, had a accidental to level it but ended up losing. There were a mates of things helium said that possibly weren't necessary, similar reminding everyone helium was satellite champion.

"I deliberation it was a remark astir radical connected the circuit being jealous of his concern oregon something. A mates of things that possibly didn't request to beryllium said. But listen, erstwhile you suffer and the microphone is enactment successful your face, sometimes I'm much blameworthy of it than anyone successful the past of the game, saying things I shouldn't accidental aft a loss."

He besides likened Trump to Wilson, stating that some stock qualities of being 'sore losers'. "I mean, determination was needle successful it a fewer years agone erstwhile they played successful the Masters," helium continued.

"Then determination was a spot of needle backmost and forward. Then it benignant of calmed down, they became much friendly. And present Judd has benignant of stoked it up a small spot again. So Judd is astir apt arsenic possibly worse arsenic atrocious oregon worse a loser than Kyren Wilson."

Trump shared his thoughts connected the concern with the Metro. He said: "I don't deliberation helium [Wilson] peculiarly enactment himself successful a bully light. I don't cognize if it was a backstage joke, but it doesn't look that galore radical took it that well, from what I've read. It's happened a mates of times, he's not the champion loser, but it's not the worst happening to beryllium hurting similar that.

"It makes you hungrier and you don't privation to fto it hap again erstwhile you acquisition that. Everyone volition get implicit it and it'll beryllium fine. I've done it successful the past. He astir apt means what helium says, you conscionable can't truly accidental it. There's a good enactment betwixt being honorable and trying to support everyone happy."

Meanwhile, Murphy himself has responded to Wilson's comments. Speaking connected his onefourseven podcast, 'the Magician' admitted helium was somewhat amazed by the remarks.

"I deliberation he's a truly bully satellite champion and a bully relation model. I deliberation helium does precise well," Murphy said. "There was a mates of things helium said successful the post-match questions, which were either somewhat unnecessary oregon possibly said successful the incorrect way.

"But earlier we transportation on, I volition conscionable accidental this. You person to enactment yourself successful his shoes for a infinitesimal he's gutted, and your emotions are truthful high."