Judd Trump ousts Stephen Maguire to cruise into semi-finals: 2011 UK Championship at Barbican Centre
England’s Judd Trump cruised into the semi-final stage of 2011 UK Championship, being held at the York Barbican Centre, after defeating Scotland’s Stephen Maguire in an easy quarter-final
encounter by the score line of 6-3. The youngster is just one victory away from his ultimate goal of winning his first UK title.
Mr. Haircut 100 claimed that during his match with Maguire, he was playing some naughty snooker, reproducing the same snooker display that dragged him into the final of 2011 World Snooker
Championship at the Crucible Theatre, in Sheffield. The Ace will meet the former world snooker champion from Australia, Neil Robertson, in his semi-final clash.
Maguire hit the first frame victory to grab an early 0-1 lead but the Englishman quickly capitalised in the second frame with a stunning knock of 72 points, to pull level at 1-1. The third
rack was yet another easy win for the youngster, as he potted a fine break of 62 points to lead 2-1 in the match. Trump then took the next three frames to move four frames up at 5-1.
Maguire bounced back into the game and took back-to-back frames after firing two superb knocks of 62 and 80 to jump up at 5-3. Before the Scotsman could do more damage, Trump seized his
momentum winning the ninth frame easily by a 43-point break. Trump said that he played a bit of naughty snooker during the match.
Speaking to the local media at the end of his match, Trump said, “I want to play naughty snooker. It's a hard thing to describe and define. All I can say is that sometimes when I play
a shot I just know it was so good it was a bit naughty. That's what I'm after. If I'm honest I didn't feel brilliant out there against Stephen but at 2-1 he missed an easy ball and my confidence grew and grew.”
The 22-year-old added, “There is a lot more to come, I have a lot of work to do on my safety to stop gifting frames away to people. I might stop practising potting and do play safety tonight.
It's great to be the favourite, I don't feel any extra pressure.”
The Bristolian potter will meet Australia’s Neil Robertson in the semi-final. The young snooker star believes that playing against a top potter like Robertson will be quite tough, as he
is tremendous at the baize and can turn the face of the game with his long potting.
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