As part of the UK Government's first effort to allow fans back into stadiums following COVID-19 lockdowns, the World Snooker Championship has welcomed roughly 600 spectators over two sessions, with attendance expected to grow.
By winning seven of the last nine frames, Selby claimed the evening session on Sunday and now carries a significant lead into the second-to-last session.
Selby used an 85-point break to bring the score to 5-4, but Murphy responded quickly to restore a two-frame gap, reflecting the volatile momentum of the contest.
The man from Leicester soon reclaimed ground by winning two straight frames to tie it at 6-6. Murphy briefly regained the lead, marking his final major impact on the scoreboard for the night.
Selby eventually took complete control, sweeping the next four frames to pull ahead after a seesaw battle. This followed the first session where Murphy had held a 5-3 lead in his quest for a second world title, the first of which he won back in 2005.
Earlier in the match, Murphy let a crucial frame-ball slip, missing the chance to go 3-0 up. Carrying the momentum from his semifinal win over Kyren Wilson, Murphy had started strong by taking the first two frames and extending his lead with a 65-point break.
A single missed red gave Selby the opening he needed to clear down to the brown and steal the frame. The three-time champion then leveled the match with an 89-point break. While this shift in energy looked worrying for Murphy, he bounced back immediately with a 75-point break to reclaim the lead.
If the levelling of the game seemed a bit too ominous, Murphy quickly recovered from his setback with a break of 75 to again take the lead and then went