Shaun Murphy has been in impressively consistent form for well over a year now, which he credits partly to a simple message from his coach and mentor Peter Ebdon.
The former world champion won the Masters last year and has been in three ranking finals this season, winning the British Open.
He arrived at the Players Championship this week at number three on the one-year rankings, illustrating the fine form he has been showing.
The Magician continued to show off his tricks in the opening round in Telford on Wednesday, hammering Zhang Anda 6-1 to book a spot in the quarter-finals.
It has been a good, sustained run of results for the 43-year-old, which began shortly after he brought Ebdon into his corner.
The famously tough competitor and 2002 world champion looked at what Murphy was doing on the practice table and told him it was not enough.
‘I’ve been working so hard on my game, I’ve come here ready and I’m pleased to have gone out there and played nicely,’ Murphy said after dismissing Zhang.
‘It was one of the things that changed as soon as Peter and I paired up. One of the biggest things he said was: “In my opinion, I think you need to work harder.”
‘That wasn’t easy to hear because I’ve always been quite a hard worker. I think any of my past coaches or people who’ve been in my corner would back that.
‘But when a fellow world champion tells you you’ve got to work a bit harder, I suppose you’ve got to take that advice a bit more readily.
‘I’ve been in my snooker room at home non-stop. Times when I would have gone off playing golf or something else, I’ve practiced more snooker, it’s nice to know that works.’
Murphy is looking to win a 14th ranking title of his career this week in Telford and if he does he will give plenty of credit to the 55-year-old.
‘One of the things I love about Peter, having known him 35 years, is his commitment,’ said the world number eight. ‘I couldn’t ask for anyone better on my team. He would go to war for me.
‘Having him to answer to keeps you honest. Over a season if you don’t put the work in you can see it, thankfully this has been a good season.’
Murphy’s win over Zhang booked a quarter-final clash with world champion Zhao Xintong in Telford, a player who he feels can achieve whatever he wants to in the game.
‘He’s the Masters away from a Triple Crown set,’ Murphy said of the 28-year-old. ‘He’s still very young. He’s got the absolute world ahead of him, hasn’t he?
‘He’s gone from anonymity in China to very, very famous. Can’t walk down the street. Has teams of people around him everywhere he goes. The interest in him has taken the game, I think, in China to potentially a new level. It was already big off the back of Ding [Junhui] and all the rest of everyone else’s successes.
‘It’s great to see. He’s a really nice young man. He’s a wonderful player.
He’s that type of player who the other players like watching. He’s got all those things about him.
‘I think his destiny is his own. He could be as good as he wants to be.’
Murphy and Zhao meet at 1pm on Friday 20 February in the Players Championship last eight.