Trump sweeps Ding aside to reach UK semi-finals

Judd Trump, the reigning UK Champion, defeated three-time champion Ding Junhui 6-2 to reach the semi-finals.

Trump’s defeat to Ding in the UK semi-finals two years ago will now be redeemed in some small measure by the outcome.

Ding, who won the title for the first time exactly 20 years ago, made strong starts with breaks of 89 and 83 before Trump took control and reached the semi-finals for the third time in a row.

His arrears were reduced by a 73-run run, which he then won two scrappy frames before making a break of 91 to take the 4-2.

Trump, the reigning champion of 30 ranking positions, defeated Australia’s Neil Robertson to earn a last-four appearance, beating Pang Junxu 6-4, who had held off fightback from Pang Junxu.

Trump remarked, “In the last couple of events, I have found the confidence to go for it.”

The difference in this tournament was the timing, when I had to make a clearance or pot an important ball they were going in, he said.

I feel much more self-assured. Even though I’m not at my best, I have already accomplished everything necessary at the right time.

Robertson, who was also the 2013 and 2015 snooker champion, eventually proved too strong for China’s Pang, who was attempting to advance to the quarter-finals of one of the Triple Crown tournaments.

Pang made a number of forced errors as he attempted to take the opener, but he hardly ever put Robertson under pressure.

The 26-time champion of the top 26 made just one break over 50 during the final four frames before putting together a superb run of 111 to advance to victory.

However, with only 51 on offer, Pang, 25, who was only 72-11 points down in his remarkable seventh frame, started to gain momentum.

He received a snooker instead of shaking hands, and Robertson added a free ball, which gave him the motivation to make a fantastic 51-yard clearance to pinch the frame when Robertson fouled and scored seven points when he hit the black.

According to Robertson, “That is the thing that would be on a quiz about what happened next.”

You’d never be able to do that again, they said. I did a fantastic job of winning 5-1. One of the breaks in the tournament would be [from Pang].

Qualifier Pang appeared to have found some new freedom when he made a fantastic 115 break before winning the ninth frame.