Image source, Getty Images

More from Shaun Murphy following his semi-final win over John Higgins: "I think I am a better player [than the one who won it in 2005] and a more rounded mature player.

"I was 22 and that's 21 years ago and I'm a totally different prospect. A different package. I feel my scoring is still there as it ever was but feel I have become a more mature player. But there's not getting away from it, I'll say that I want to go out an play like it means nothing but it will mean everything."

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

What John Higgins and the Class of 92 are doing is phenomenal.

The likes of Stephen Hendry and myself, we were done by 35 - these boys are winning tournaments when they're 50 years of age, they're setting the bar very high for everybody coming behind them.

An amazing achievement to still be playing so well.

World Snooker Championship finalist Shaun Murphy, speaking to BBC Sport, said: "I came out today knowing if I got my chances I could score. When I got back to level pegging after the first two frames I thought 'here we go' and then at two frames down at the interval I knew I could do it again if I got the chances.

"But John Higgins...What a player and what a man. The harder it gets on the table the tougher he gets. The better he plays. It is just like 'will you ever give me a break?'. He's such a competitor. If I'm half the player when I'm in fifties as he is I'll be very proud.

"When I was doing the aircrash investigation of the match, about how we got to this point, I was probably pushing the pedal a bit too much and I was thinking 'he wouldn't play that, Mark Selby wouldn't play that'. So I decided not to do that today, which was hard for me because my natural instinct is to attack all times. But I decided to not make a shot which is like, there you go make as many as you can. Maybe I am learning eventually!"

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

There was always that glitch, we used to call it '40-itis' - Shaun Murphy used to get to 40 looking magnificent, miss a daft one, throw a lifeline to somebody, they clear up and all of a sudden he's lost the match.

That's been eradicated.

More from beaten semi-finalist John Higgins: "It is down to the tension. As you get older your action begins to go a little bit in the most extreme points of the match. But take nothing away from Shaun.

"Although I missed the black, Shaun was awesome. He has got a great chance to win it for the second time. He'll be playing someone who can win it for the first time, so it's all set up for a great final.

"It was a great three days. I thought it was a great match. We traded punch for punch and Shaun just came out stronger in the end. I'll keep trying."

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Beaten semi-finalist John Higgins, speaking to BBC Sport, said: "My shot on the black on the frame at the end there was very weak. I know the pressure was on but when you look at the final session Shaun was punching and really going for it. I got lost a little bit towards the end there.

"I shouldn't have been below that black. It was criminal the way I played the shot. But the way Shaun hit the ball in that last session - you cannot hit it better than that. It was incredible, it really was. He just hits it like God. I am disappointed, but what can you do?"

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

What character Shaun Murphy has shown.

We quite rightly always talk about John Higgins' character - Shaun has shown plenty in that match.

I think of the two players John will be fairly honest about it and say Shaun probably hit the ball better.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

A superhuman performance from Shaun Murphy! What a match.

John Higgins congratulates him. He knows he's been in a fight. They both know it.

What a performance.

Murphy beats Higgins to reach finalpublished at 17:47 BST 2 May

17:47 BST 2 May

Higgins 15-17 Murphy

Shaun Murphy pots the blue into the middle pocket and then... rolls the pink into the corner.

Murphy beats John Higgins 17-15 to book his place in the World Snooker Championship final.

Shaun Murphy sets to work on the colours, sinking the yellow and green into the corner pockets.

He's three balls away from the final.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

It's straightforward from now - Shaun Murphy just has to hold himself together.

A tense safety battle on the final red follows. John Higgins leads 50-35.

The Crucible crowd are on the edge of their seats here.

Higgins bungles a safety to allow Shaun Murphy to pot the remaining red into the corner pocket with the rest.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

Who would you have your house on to pot that red with the rest?

It's incredible what pressure does - Shaun Murphy didn't really get close either.

Shaun Murphy follows it up with brown into the middle pocket but the final red into the top-right corner rattles the jaws.

The cue ball lands safe but John Higgins is still alive.

A break of 30 from Shaun Murphy before he rolls back up to the baulk cushion for one of the remaining two reds.

It's an awkward pot along the cushion, but Murphy knocks it in.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

What a chance for Shaun Murphy to get into the final.

He made a brilliant break to get through his first-round match, this would need to be another one.

Shaun Murphy rises to his feet and then ruthlessly pots red, black, red, black.