Scotland’s Stephen Maguire ended Judd Trump’s 22-game win streak, scoring a 6-3 win over the Englishman in the last 32 of the International Championship in Tianjin.
Trump has been in scintillating form this season, becoming only the fourth player to win three consecutive ranking events. He picked up back-to-back silverware at the English Open, Wuhan Open and the Northern Ireland Open. With his streak coming to an end this evening, his ambitions of turning world number one are also over for now.
This evening’s result is a massive one for 2004 UK Champion Maguire, who failed to reach it to a single quarter-final last season. He has already achieved that this term at the Northern Ireland Open where he was beaten by Trump. Maguire earned his revenge today.
Breaks of 56 and 69 helped Maguire to move 2-0 ahead this evening, before a run of 88 saw Trump get his first frame on the board to make it 2-1. However, it was Maguire who took the fourth to head in for the mid-session 3-1 ahead.
When play resumed the first two frames were shared and Maguire then hammered home a run of 88 to move one from victory at 5-2. Trump pulled one back, but it was to no avail as the Glaswegian got himself over the line for an important 6-3 victory. Next up he faces a last 16 clash with Ryan Day.
“I feel very proud to beat Judd. The run he has been on, winning three back-to-back tournaments, is incredible. Especially with all of the good players that are out there just now. It is a good result for me to win the match and to beat Judd as well, because be beat me last week,” said 42-year-old Maguire.
“He would have wanted to keep that run going. Once you start winning matches, you get used to winning matches. In the back of Judd’s mind he knows it is going to come to an end at some point, whether it was this match or the next match. If anybody was feeling pressure today I’d imagine it was him. To me it was just another match.”
World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan is now certain to remain at the top of the world rankings this week, he scored a hard fought 6-4 win over Jak Jones this evening to progress.
The Rocket started the tournament with three players chasing his world number one spot. However, he is now safe after World Champion Luca Brecel lost out to Mark Davis yesterday and Mark Allen fell to a 6-4 defeat against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh today, as well as Trump’s exit.
O’Sullivan was pushed hard this evening by Jones, but eventually got himself over the line in the 10th frame with a stunning run of 130. He now faces Anthony McGill tomorrow evening.
McGill progressed thanks to an impressive 6-2 defeat of Jack Lisowski. The former Indian Open and Shoot Out champion put on a break building masterclass with runs of 129, 58, 63, 74, 73 and 54 on his way to victory.
Scotland’s McGill is currently experimenting with his game, using a carbon fibre pool style cue, as well as wearing a glove on his bridge hand. He believes that players need to be open to innovations.
McGill said: “I think you should always be open minded. If you’ve got a closed mind about anything then it can’t be good. I think snooker players are very set in their ways at times and resistant to change, especially from other cue sports. We have this snobbery about us and think we are the best. I’m sure we can learn a lot from other cue sports. I’m giving it my best.
“I watched Ronnie’s game against Ken Doherty in the first round. It was just gorgeous the way he played. It was phenomenal. I was lying in my bed watching it and thinking how does this guy ever get beat and how did I beat him at the Crucible? It will be an amazing atmosphere. The other night when I was playing I could hear the crowd during his match with Mark Joyce. It will be good to be a part of an atmosphere like that.”
China’s 14-time ranking event winner Ding Junhui moved a step closer to confirming his place in the final stages of the MrQ UK Championship with a 6-4 win over Gary Wilson, while four-time World Champions Mark Selby and John Higgins both progressed. Selby defeated Xiao Guodong 6-2 and Higgins overcame Dylan Emery 6-1.
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