With the economy in flux and the job market stagnant, more and more people are considering ways to continue their education and set themselves apart in the marketplace.

FORBES: Shawn O'Connor - The Launching Pad - Archive

Before Murphy's triumph, Ronnie O'Sullivan's defeat by Peter Ebdon and his announcement that he was considering taking a year off from the game were what had set people's tongues wagging.

BBC: SPORT | Other Sport | Snooker | Shocks good for snooker - Parrott