Shaun Murphy makes prophetic drug testing quip as Scottish Open finalist left shocked

Shaun Murphy was back at his magical best to win the Masters - but has joked that he can see into the future as well.

The Magician saw off world champion Kyren Wilson at Alexandra Palace to celebrate a second Masters success, and first Triple Crown title in a decade, but told Scots snooker great Stephen Hendry that it didn't come as a surprise - because he felt he was in great form. Murphy also revealed a prophetic conversation with Scottish Open finalist Xiao Guodong earlier in the season, when the Chinese player was cruising to a 5-1 win at the Wuhan Open.

Speaking on Hendry's CueTips YouTube channel, Murphy quipped: "Xiao Guodong and I walked off the stage in Wuhan arm-in-arm, with me saying to him that he was unbelievable. The funny thing about that match is that, at 4-0, he’s played four of the most perfect frames ever to get into that lead at the interval.

"We’ve walked off and we’re in the players’ lounge, and I said, ‘you know what, you should be careful, if you keep playing like that then they’re going to drug test you’. It was a bit of banter, a bit of craic. We went back out, I made a century before he finished me off 5-1. We walked off stage and there are drug testers waiting on us. He turned round to me and asked if I’d arranged it. I had to tell him that it was nothing to do with me!"

Murphy also said that his surprise Masters success didn't come as a shock to him or his team, having made a habit of being knocked out of events by eventual finalists. He added: "I feel like my game has been good enough all season and we’ve made a thing about it on my podcast, about whoever beats me in a tournament then goes on to win it, or at least makes the final. We’ve been saying that all season.

"Lei Peifan is the