Snooker: Judd Trump has to work hard for right to meet Ronnie O’Sullivan

Published on Tuesday 17 January 2012 03:59

Judd Trump set up a Masters quarter-final with Ronnie O’Sullivan after a scrappy 6-3 victory over Stuart Bingham in the first round at Alexandra Palace.

The 22-year-old from Bristol managed two centuries in the best-of-11-frame contest but his quickfire style all too often gave way to errors that Australian Open champion Bingham was quick to capitalise on.

Bingham led 3-2 at one stage but UK champion Trump stepped up his game with the pressure on, picking up four frames in a row to take the victory. A typically outlandish red by Trump started the scoring and the world No 8 looked at ease as he compiled a confident 87 in the opener.

Bingham looked nervy at the start of the second, his missed long red a gift for Trump but he made just 19 before a hasty blue paved the way for Bingham to hit a 69 and pull level. Bingham prevailed in a scrappy third, hitting breaks of 24 and 25 in a close tussle that went to 49-49 before he clinched it on the blue and the pink. Despite trailing Trump was producing the cleaner shots and would have been frustrated to be behind, but an emphatic 107 in the next improved his mood.

Trump resumed after the interval with a 32 but again Basildon potter Bingham was allowed back to the table and an assured 73 re-established his lead at 3-2.

Trump responded with gritty breaks of 25 and 29 to level before improving in the next, a break of 121 moving him ahead in the match for the first time since the opening frame. A 37 at the start of the eighth frame put Trump in charge but a superb long red triggered a run of 32 from Bingham before a missed pink let his opponent back in.

Leading 52-49 with the colours remaining, Trump was given half a chance on a long yellow after a period of cat-and-mouse and duly fire home before slotting in the remaining colours for a 5-3 lead. Bingham hit breaks of 24 and 26 in response to Trump’s 50 in the next to leave the frame delicately poised on the colours. The players slugged it out on the green for several shots before Bingham finally opened the door for Trump, who smashed in the green and the remaining colours to take the victory.

Trump admitted he had been below his best and would have to raise his game significantly for his meeting with O’Sullivan on Thursday. “I felt relaxed and I felt after the first frame that I’ve got a lead and I thought I could run away with it, but I just kept giving him chances,” said Trump. “I’ll have to improve probably 50 per cent if I want to beat Ronnie – I cannot give him those chances I was giving Stuart. The first round can be the hardest round. You want to get it out the way.”

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.