Snooker star Shaun Murphy has hit back at critics, including Stephen Hendry, after he was branded ‘too soft’ for praising an opponent at the Wuhan Open in China.

The Englishman was knocked out of the tournament by Xiao Guodong, who produced a magnificent performance to secure a 5-1 victory in the quarter-finals. Guodong later went on to claim the trophy as champion, beating his countryman Si Jiahui in the final.

Murphy was left in awe by the Chinese star’s consistency as Xiao racked up breaks of 139, 113, 125 and 75, before the 42-year-old registered a 112 break in the only frame he won.

The Magician was spotted tapping his knee in appreciation of his opponent’s remarkable display – a move that drew criticism from online trolls and even snooker icon Hendry, who struggled to understand the thinking behind his gesture.

Reacting to comments made about him, Murphy took aim at his detractors by telling them to ‘find a hobby’ and insisted he was not alone in applauding his opponents.

“Some of the comments I got on social media last week on clips of me applauding Xiao Guodong from my seat after watching him make three centuries on the bounce,” Murphy told Metro.

“Some of the criticism and abuse I got for that and what that means for my psychology, people telling me I’m too soft and that’s not the way to behave…everyone’s entitled to an opinion, but all I was doing was applauding somebody’s brilliance. That’s the world we’re living in.”

He also addressed the matter on his OneFourSeven Podcast, saying: “I understand to some degree that it comes with the territory, but it’s a weird world we live in. I sat there and just out of appreciation I tapped my knee, which quite a few players do stuff like that, I’m not the only person who does stuff like that.

“He [Xiao] made a nice century break, he made three of them and you find yourself clapping politely as a professional acknowledgement, saying that you appreciate his skill.

“The comments that are out there…there’s a serious world out there. I think people need to find a hobby or find something to do or perhaps weren’t hugged enough as children.”

Hendry, the six-time Masters champion who now works as a snooker pundit, couldn’t fathom why Murphy would praise his rival.

“What is Shaun doing?” Hendry said on the Snooker Club podcast. “Shaun was staying in the same hotel as me in Wuhan and we were having a drink one night. I love Shaun, the way he talks, but sitting there applauding your opponent, that cannot be the way forward!

“He’s different and he’s great for the game, an unbelievable ambassador, but sat in the chair actually applauding? I’ve tapped my knee when someone’s made a great break before, but to actually applaud like you’re at the theatre?”