For the second consecutive major tournament this year, Judd Trump has defeated Neil Robertson on his way to the final, this time with a 9-7 win in York as the tournament reverted to a more familiar longer format…
Judd Trump 9-7 Neil Robertson
71-60 (NR 60, JT 51), 92-12 (84), 45-73, 16-116 (67) 70-12, 12-114 (105), 70-23 (69), 0-77 (77), 69-56 (NR 56) 54-59, 66-49, 73-21 (73), 30-79, 0-83 (83), 67-15 (51), 64-36
Judd Trump is through to the final of the UK Championship for the first time following a 9-7 victory against former world champion Neil Robertson this evening.
Following an engaging first session which saw the afternoon’s eight frames shared, the two resumed this evening at 7pm and it was Judd who seized the initiative, moving 7-5 clear at the mid-session interval with the aid of one particular red which was the very definition of the sort of ‘naughty snooker’ that Judd has spoken about recently.
To his credit Neil dug in well, taking a tight 13th frame before drawing level with an excellent break of 83 considering that including a re-rack, there had barely been a pot between the two players for some 20 minutes.
The match now down to a best of three, the pressure was beginning to mount as both missed balls that under normal circumstances you would expect them to make. It was Judd though who would have just a little too much as he took the next to lead 8-7 before sealing victor in frame 16 following a misjudged safety from his Australian opponent.
A worthy winner after a roller-coaster match, that he trailed Dominic Dale 4-2 in the first-round only to be aided by a couple of timely flukes now feels like a distant memory as he prepares for his first UK Championship final against either Mark Allen or Ricky Walden who will meet tomorrow.
Consolidating his ever-improving position in the rankings, Judd’s appearance in a second consecutive major final is a reminder of the fact that he is here to stay now at the top of the game and he will now head into the final as a clear favourite, regardless of who wins the second semi-final.
For Neil Robertson it will be a disappointing defeat, but it has not been a bad week for the former world champion who was able to reach the last four of the tournament for the first time. You can be sure that he will be back in another major final sooner rather than later.