Judd Trump races into final after beating China’s Ding Junhui: World Snooker Championship 2011
Judd Trump stormed past China’s Ding Junhui in their semi-final clash of the World Snooker Championship 2011 by the score line of 17-15 to enter the dream stage of the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield as a finalist.
The Bristol potter will face the world number one John Higgins in the final on Sunday, May 1, 2011.
The youngster thrashed the defending champion Neil Robertson of Australia by 10-8 in the first round, Martin Gould 13-6 in the second and 2010 finalist Graeme Dott with 13-5 in the quarter-final to set up a clash with Ding in the semi-final of the Championship.
The Bristolian stunned the Chinese with a strong 5-3 lead in the first session as he smashed sensational knocks of 110, 51 and 59 during the play to completely unsettle his opponent and bring him two frames down at the end of the session.
The second session began with a rattling break of 91 from the world number four Ding followed by a superb half century break of 51 to make it 6-4. However, the comeback king Ding Junhui bounced back brilliantly and ended the frame at 7-9 taking five consecutive
frames.
The 21-year-old Trump made a tremendous blow in the third frame and changed the whole game as the young star sparked his cue around terrifically to capitalise in the game and with fine breaks of 61, 71, 61, 102 and 123, he equalised the game score with 12-12
on the board before the end of the penultimate session.
The match had come to a turning point after the third session as both cueists were tussling hard to gain a comprehensive lead in the match that can be helpful in the end. However, Trump came hard on the Jiangsu potter Ding and gained a quick two-frame lead
by 14-12 at the start of the fourth session.
The 24-year-old Ding replied with a cracking knock of 138 followed by another century break of 119 to strike back and move within three frames up at 14-15. Trump was at the brink of a semi-final loss as Ding needed two only frames to be in the final but
the Englishman kept his cue under control and with a couple of impressive clearances of 68 and 105, he cleared the table in his favour with a score line of 17-15.
“Towards the end I’ve never felt nerves like it. Even though the balls were all there, it hits you really. I just took my time and knew if I didn’t miss anything silly they were all there to be taken,” said Trump. “I feel sorry for Ding because he couldn’t
have played much better; if he’d have played anyone else then he would have probably won.”
The Chinese ace Ding who was hoping for a Crucible final spot said, “I like to watch him play, he's learning quickly, with more experience. I tried to put the white ball on the cushion but he just kept coming back. If he keeps potting balls like that then
he can win it.”
The Bristolian cueman Trump will go head-to-head against the Scotsman John Higgins in the final of the Championship on Sunday. Higgins earlier defeated the Welshman Mark Williams with 17-14 in the semi-final clash.
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