Masters 2025 LIVE Kyren Wilson faces Shaun Murphy in £350000 ...

Shaun, of course, hands out the safes as he comes down the stairs, then offers the entirety of the crowd a sweeping wave. Kyren, on the other hand, is more understated and pensive; he's not yet free from the fear of embarrassment, never mind in a position to win.

Shaun has his greased into a lively quiff; Kyren has dyed his at least twice this week.

Shaun is the smoother, more natural potter, Kyren the savvier more composed player. As such, if the former is in form – and he is – you'd expect him to win, and with a four frame advantage four from home, it's hard to look past him. But if the latter can take the opening mini-sesh, he'll begin to wonder.

I don't think he's played that well this week – his single-ball potting, especially from distance, hasn't been as good as it it usually, and his cue-ball control, much improved, hasn't been as tight as, say Shaun's. But he's a terrific match-player and will not have enjoyed the showmanship to which he was subjected on the black at the end of frames seven and eight.

You may have noted him staying down on his shots until the ball is in the pocket. That's to make sure there's no hindering head-movement, and shows how intently he's focused – a naturally quick player and inveterate entertainer, he wants to get on with the next shot, but he's overriding instinct with intellect to do what he knows is the right thing.

I'm buzzing for this. Shaun has been the best player this week and genuinely believes it's his destiny to left this title, tonight. That's a powerful combination. But Kyren knows he can do the necessary and if he gets a decent start, he's in business.

...can Kyren find something? And even if he can, will it be enough?

Kyren could have been 7-1 behind. So will have to take the positives out of picking up two frames ahead of the closing session tonight with another 11 frames to be played. Wilson needs eight of them.

Murphy the dominant scoring force with breaks of 94, 65, 134 and 116 leaving him in the box seat ahead of tonight's closing session when they play for the Paul Hunter Trophy and the £350,000 first prize.

See you back here at 6:50pm (GMT) when snooker history will be made in the 50th anniversary final of the game's greatest invitational event.

And there we have it. Another century from Shaun Murphy. Utterly dominant level of play from the world No. 7. A 116 clearance from Shaun. He will need four more frames for the title this evening.

Looks like Shaun is heading for back-to-back centuries in this final. Which sums up how well he has performed here this afternoon.

Shaun racing to 50. Like trying to grab a tiger by the tail in this final. So good from the 2015 champion.

This really is delightful stuff from Murphy in this final. Not wasting any time and is right on the money with his shot-making. Little flicks and cannons being played here like he is at one with the table.

Shaun just failing to nip in a red down a side rail. Not a million miles away, but no points for near misses. Kyren this time presented with an easy starter. Blue to follow, but he then butchers the plant on reds. Not sure how he has missed that. Only six. Which is not really what you need or want.

Off we go then for the final frame of the session. Kyren trying to remain within two frames of Murphy by snaring this frame.

What a brilliant break by Murphy. 134 and he finishes it with the double on the black. A 5-2 lead. Halfway up the hill to the winner's podium.

Murphy rams in the pink. Ton up! Cue the applause. Shaun is guaranteed a lead heading back for the evening session on Sunday night.

Just the black to see out the frame. Which he does. And that is quite fabulous. Can he make the first century of this final? Every chance now.

Some majestic ball striking by Murphy. Powers through the reds to land on black before dropping in black dead weight. And suddenly all the balls are there for the taking. Looking like a heavy break incoming.

Kyren has a pop at long red. Doesn't drop and he catches the red on the back out of the jaws. Which ends up over other pocket. So chance for Murphy to get his nose in front in the penultimate frame of the afternoon session.

Massive fluke on the pink to finish. Which is always popular among the snooker diehards. A 4-2 advantage for Murphy.

Super shot by Kyren to drain a red at pace along the top cushion. In goes red down side rail. And that should be another frame to Kyren with colours to come.

Murphy can't progress much further though as he tries and fails to make a difficult plant on reds. So reprieve for Kyren in what has been a very scrappy frame.

Wilson with a 24 this time before a tricky red along top cushion eludes him. Seemed to do a lot of work for only 24.

Shaun missing a red to left centre after Kyren just failed to swerve in a red from distance. Kyren then with a red and blue combo before nailing a superb red off the side cushion. Wilson aiming to build a lead with reds and blues.

But can't land on a colour as he powers in a red seconds later. So just the safety shot to follow for Murphy. Black and pink are out of commission at moment after that plant.

Well, how good is that shot from Murphy? A powerhouse plant on two reds, and white comes back up for the blue. Another chance in this final falls to the world No. 7. Reds flying everywhere. Huge applause in Ally Pally. Quite right too.

Shaun heading for a 4-1 lead then in the race to 10. Murphy very much the dominant force out there. The Alpha of the Alexandra Palace. Or something like that.

Murphy with 40, but he then loses position on blue. Didn't expect to see that mishap. Misses a red to left centre, but Wilson well off with a red attempt to yellow pocket. Suddenly Shaun back in among them again. Surely this frame will be a done deal now.

Murphy with a fabulous pot on a blue to yellow bag followed by another excellent cut across the table on red. Looks to be bang at it whenever a chance presents itself.

But he misses a tricky cutback red along top cushion. Blind pot and doesn't drop. That will annoy him.

Kyren with a fine three-ball plant on reds straight off the bat. Wilson absolutely centres a shot with deep screw on yellow to come back for reds. Looking to banish the memory of the previous frame.

Off we go then for the second half of the afternoon. Four more frames to play this avo. Murphy needing two of them to secure a lead ahead of this evening's concluding session.

A quite supreme clearance of 65 from Murphy to pinch the frame on the black. How good is that? 61 from Wilson, but a 65 counter punch from Murphy is quite magnificent. A gut punch really for Kyren.

Onto the colours, and this really should be job done when he leaves the table. A massive steal.

Murphy brings out two reds from the side rail. That is a brilliant shot. Suddenly huge chance is there for a huge steal heading for the mid-sesh.

Break reaches 61 until Kyren misses an easy red. Still life left in this fourth frame. Not easy with three reds left near right side rail.

This has been an excellent response by Wilson having been frozen out for the opening two frames. Looks like he is on his way here to restoring parity at 2-2 in this final. Plant on reds has disturbed more reds for Kyren to put away.

Fine break-off shot by Kyren for the fourth frame of a possible 19. Murphy with a decent enough response. Wilson then rattles red in jaws with a long attempt before seeing red hit the white and catapult it back to baulk. Shaun comes up with a stunning long red. But he can't drop in the cutback black. Which will frustrate him.

Still some work left in this frame perhaps for Wilson as he misses a red on 69. But Murphy misses a pink on eight, and that will be the third frame to the world champion. Back to 2-1 behind in this 50 anniversary final.

Great double by Kyren to keep this break doing on a red to right centre. Every chance to get this third frame won in one hit. Both players look well in the mood as Wilson slots a low black and lands perfectly on the reds.

Wilson first to the punch in this third frame. Vital that he starts piecing together some points of his own after the fast start by Murphy to this final. Uses black to open up the pack. Fine shot by Kyren. That will do his confidence no harm at all.

47 from Murphy to go with the earlier 31, and suddenly it is a 2-0 lead for the 2015 Masters winner. Looking so sharp among the balls.

Only four in response from Kyren before he breaks down using an extension to his cue and there is no doubt that Murphy is fairly rampant so far. One eye on building a lead with eight frames to be played this avo. Looks like Murphy is heading 2-0 up.

Shaun is striking the balls with real authority. Reaching a level which few can match when he is in the mood. Can't land on a red from the black, but a lovely cut on a red to left centre keeps break going until green to left middle eludes him. Don't think the contact was clean there. Chance for Kyren to respond in kind.

Murphy with a superb opening red before dropping in yellow across table to right middle. Lovely stuff from Murphy. In goes pink to red centre, and suddenly this is another scoring chance for the 2005 world champion.

Some safety play being played out with the dump shot coming in handy to leave white at top end of table.

Both of these men know the dangers of a poor safety shot today. Both are brimming with plenty of bite among the balls. No second invitation needed to score heavily this week under these conditions.

A red down the cushion to green pocket just fails to drop, but that 94 is superbly constructed. An early marker laid down by 'The Magician'.

Glorious chance to open this final with a sparkling century break. This is what you call entertaining the masses.

Cracking shot by Shaun to spin white into reds off a low black, out come the reds for potting and this is looking very ominous in the first frame. Dream striking of the white ball when he is in this mood.

Shaun with chance to get in stroke in the first frame. Which is all any player can ask for in any match. Looks right on it here early doors.

Murphy forced to confront the Ally Pally wasp before the match gets underway. But he can't use the wasp attack as an excuse when he misses an easy red seconds later. Settling in period in the first frame for both men. Murphy then swerves in a red from distance and lands nicely on yellow. So off goes the 2015 champion.

All ready to get going with this big showpiece final at the Ally Pally in London for the 51st Masters title. Murphy is 8-3 clear on the career head-to-heads, but they have never met at the Masters. Murphy is the 2005 world champion, Wilson the defending 2024 world champion. It could be an epic battle this afternoon and tonight. First man to 10 frames collects a record £350,000 first prize and the Paul Hunter Trophy. Boys on baize soon.