Matthew Stevens will now have to qualify for the Crucible next year

"I'm still in shock. I had the game won at 11-5. What can you say?" Stevens said on his 13-12 quarter-final loss.

"I got a few chances along the way. I should have won 13-7.

"I'm obviously devastated but that's the way it goes. I won the game the night before in my mind. Funny things happen in snooker."

Stevens, twice a beaten finalist, resumed with an 11-5 lead on Wednesday needing only two frames for victory.

I'll have to qualify for this next year, but I'll come back stronger Matthew Stevens

But Murphy, who beat the Welshman 18-16 in the 2005 final, took it to a decider by claiming seven out of eight frames before clinching the last.

Even worse for Stevens is that he has now fallen out of the elite top-16 and will have to qualify for the Crucible next year.

"I tried to stay composed but it just didn't happen, I lost a couple of black-ball games to win but Shaun showed a lot of character," Stevens added.

"I was playing well enough this week to have won the title, but I've now got to put a lot of work in over the summer.