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Ronnie O’Sullivan reveals he was ‘on phone to Samaritans’ at snooker world championships
Judd Trump’s Masters title defence continues at Alexandra Palace this afternoon as he faces Ali Carter in an intriguing quarter-final clash.
Trump lifted the Masters trophy for the second time in his career 12 months ago, when he beat Mark Williams 10-8 in the final, although his defence looked destined to end at the first hurdle when he trailed Kyren Wilson 3-0 in the first round earlier this week.
The Bristolian then reeled off five frames on the spin to move to the brink of glory before Wilson hit back to force a decider at 5-5 and looked set to triumph when he got in first, only to break down and allow Trump to pinch victory 6-5 with a superb counter-clearance.
Carter, meanwhile, very handily defeated last year’s finalist Williams 6-4 in his opening match and now takes a crack at the reigning champ, with a semi-final spot against either Mark Allen or Mark Selby tomorrow awaiting the winner.
Follow live coverage of the quarter-final below:
FRAME! Judd Trump 5-4 Ali Carter
A nice shot on the black from Trump swerves the cueball up towards the remaining reds in the baulk area. He pots the one he needs to get over the line – leaving Carter needing snookers.
A couple fo loose positional shots but this has been a good break by Trump on the whole. The break ends but he wins the frame 70-8 and JUDD TRUMP LEADS FOR THE FIRST TIME AT 5-4! One frame needed for victory
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:26
Judd Trump 4-4 Ali Carter
Trump may also be a bit nervy but a few unmissable pots help him slowly build and build his lead. The cueball is starting to run out of control a bit though, he’s never quite perfect on a red, then the blue, then another red.
He moves to 59-8 in front, edging ever closer to the line.
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:24
Judd Trump 4-4 Ali Carter
It’s ‘shredsville’ now, as Jimmy White would say. Trump misses a very gettable red. Nerves are heightened and this will be a scrap to the line.
Oh dear, Ali Carter may have gone here! A reckless attempted pot that not only misses but sends the reds flying everywhere and leaves Trump an easy starter. He looks fuming at the moment – potentially still ruminating on that massive Trump fluke in the last frame.
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:22
Judd Trump 4-4 Ali Carter
Carter doesn’t take advantage though. Runs out of position almost immediately and misses a long red into the green pocket by quite a distance. He trails 30-8 and really didn’t make the most of that chance.
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:20
Judd Trump 4-4 Ali Carter
What has Judd Trump done there?! He’s cruising along but misses a simple green to right middle when on 30. Didn’t need to do anything with the cueball, just took his eye off the pot, I guess?
Honestly, it was a sitter for a player of Judd’s standard. The green was only a couple of inches away from the pocket but it hit both jaws and stayed out. Wow!
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:20
Judd Trump 4-4 Ali Carter
Both players understandably leave the arena for a quick break after the drama of that last frame. When they return, Trump gets the first chance in frame nine.
Pots a red and the balls are nicely set to build a lead.
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:17
Judd Trump 4-4 Ali Carter
This match is now basically a best-of-three. Judd Trump hasn’t led in this match but he’s now just two frames from victory and the way he lost that last frame will haunt Carter.
He’s an emotional player at the best of times – can he put that out of his mind?
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:13
FRAME Judd Trump 4-4 Ali Carter
Granite safety shot by Trump snookers Carter again (deliberately this time…). He hits the green but leaves a pot on for Trump, who sinks it and can now clear the colours.
He does exactly that and JUDD TRUMP STEALS FRAME EIGHT FROM UNDER ALI CARTER’S NOSE. We’re level at 4-4!
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:11
Judd Trump 3-4 Ali Carter
OH MY WORD! Trump tries to pot the green into the left corner, he misses it and it careens back up the table to rattle the jaws of the yellow pocket and stop in front of it. It would be an easy pot for Carter but the white cannons into the brown ball, which flies across and stops in front of the green, snookering Carter!
Not only can he not pot the green, it’s a tough hit. He might have to go all the way down the table and back up… Carter looks bemused and frustrated here – what a fluke for Judd Trump that was!
Carter tries to sneak along the baulk cushion and does hit the green but the white goes in! You know what, he might have played that! The pace he hit it at, the cueball was always flying in but it knocks the green on to the side cushion over the other side of the table. Even though Judd can place the cueball anywhere in the ‘d’ he can only play safe off the green. Clever shot to sacrifice four points but get the ball safe.
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:10
Judd Trump 3-4 Ali Carter
Trump trails 58-38 as he takes on a tricky-ish yellow. Makes the pot but the cannon to free the green from the right cushion goes slightly wrong.
Trump has to play safe off the green, so another frame coming down to the colours. Carter leads Trump 58-40 with green, brown, blue, pink and black left.
Luke Baker12 January 2024 16:04
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