Judd Trump and Neil Robertson to face off in English Open final after battling wins

ByThe Editorial Team

Updated 17/10/2020 at 21:28 GMT

Neil Robertson beat Mark Selby 6-5 to earn a place in the English Open final after winning the decider in a thrilling match. Selby twice fought back from two frames behind, but Robertson held his nerve to win the match. Judd Trump had to fight back four times to beat John Higgins 6-4 in Saturday's other semi-final.

Neil Robertson earned a place in the English Open final after beating Mark Selby 6-5 in a thrilling and high-quality match.

Robertson raced into a two-frame lead before Selby put together runs of 118 and 73 to draw things level.

Selby accidentally sunk a red off the black in the fifth frame, allowing his opponent back in front with a break of 58, and then a brilliant break of 134 in the sixth saw Robertson's lead restored to two frames once more.

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A break of 70 saw Selby half his deficit once more, but Robertson held firm and took the next frame with another brilliant break of 129.

The Australian's resilience appeared to have reached its limits as Selby refused to give in, edging the ninth frame 71-53 before forcing a dramatic decider with a break of 51 in the tenth.

Yet Robertson found fighting form once again to edge the match and earn a place in the final with a run of 92.

Trump fights back four times to win

Robertson faces Judd Trump in the final after the world number one fought back four times to beat John Higgins 6-4 in the other semi-final.

Trump and Higgins exchanged quick early frames as the semi-final nerves settled, with Trump rolling a lovely red down the rail in frame two.

Higgins regained his lead with a run of 52, but Trump hit back once again with a fine break of 122.

Higgins makes 133 total clearance

For the third time in the match, Higgins retook the lead, besting Trump’s break with a 133, but his opponent would not back down and once again things were tied up at 3-3 after Trump edged a tight sixth frame.

Yet another century put Higgins 4-3 up as the two continued to exchange frames, before the Scot apologised profusely in the eighth frame for audibly putting his glass down during a Trump shot.

Trump accepted the apology, insisting he was not distracted, and hit back again to make it four frames apiece.

‘It didn’t put me off’ – Higgins apologises for putting cup down during Trump shot

Trump finally took the lead after grinding his way back into the match, and his form mattered most at the end as he won the next frame too to close out a 6-4 victory.

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