German Masters snooker: Judd Trump battles past Matthew Stevens to join Neil Robertson and Ali Carter in third round

Updated 30/01/2024 at 22:15 GMT

Judd Trump compiled an excellent century break as he beat Matthew Stevens to reach the third round of the German Masters. That was the highlight of a scrappy match, which the two-time champion enjoyed a 5-3 success. Neil Robertson and Ali Carter dropped just one frame between them as they advanced. Robertson enjoyed a 5-0 victory while defending champion and top seed Carter won 5-1.

Trump finishes with a flourish with century break at German Masters

Judd Trump secured his place in the third round of the German Masters with a hard-fought 5-3 victory over Matthew Stevens.

The 2019 World Champion wasn't in peak form for most of their second round match, but a superb century in the seventh frame signalled a return to somewhere near his best.

He will now face good friend Matthew Selt, who whitewashed Martin O'Donnell 5-0, for a place in the last 16.

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The Ace in the Pack, a two-time winner in Berlin, looked set to race away with proceedings when he took a 2-0 lead, including a break of 50 in the second frame.

Stevens had other ideas though, making it 2-2 when taking a pair of scrappy frames, before Trump restored his lead in the fifth, despite both players failing to find top gear.

The Welshman threatened to roll back the years when compiling a visit of 52 in the sixth, at that point the highest break of the match, but a missed red presented Trump with the chance to get back into it.

However, he broke down on 38, and Stevens finished things off to level once again.

That would be as close as he got to victory though, as, out of nowhere, Trump suddenly found his fluency. The world No. 2 stroked a magnificent 114, his third century of the week, to move to within touching distance of the finish line.

And he duly completely the job with a 66 in the eighth frame to secure a 5-3 success.

Williams toppled by in-form He

Elsewhere, three-time world champion Mark Williams had a day to forget as he was beaten 5-1 by He Guoqiang.

In a scratchy match, both players struggled to find any kind of fluency until the 23-year-old compiled a break of 121 in the fourth frame to take a 3-1 lead.

Visits of 64 and 102 followed, as He booked a last 32 meeting with Sam Cragie.

'Terrific effort' - Guoqiang makes century break against Williams

There was also an impressive 5-3 success for Ryan Day, who toppled Oliver Brown, while Robert Milkins compiled three 50+ breaks on his way to beating Robbie Williams 5-2.

Xu Si is also through having defeated Andrew Higginson 5-2, and he is joined in the next round by Andrew Pagett, who won 5-3 against Chris Wakelin.

Allen marches on

Mark Allen was not at his fluent best, despite a 5-2 victory over Louis Heathcote.

The Northern Irishman's top break was just 54, although he did score at least 50 points in all bar one of the night's seven frames.

He now goes through to face Joe O'Connor.

It was also a good night for Joe Perry, who made light work of Xing Zihao, whom he beat 5-1, while Ken Doherty's strong run in the tournament is over following a 5-3 defeat to the young Belgian Julian Leclercq.

Meanwhile Jordan Brown recorded a 5-2 victory over David Gilbert, but there was worrying news for Marco Fu, who was 3-1 down to Alfie Davies before withdrawing from the match due to medical reasons.

Robertson whitewashes...Robertson

Neil Robertson looked in good form as he beat Jimmy Robertson 5-0 to reach the third round.

World No. 7 Robertson is aiming to rediscover his best level ahead of the World Snooker Championship, which he won in 2010.

Having had a below-par season, the Australian has only lost one frame in his two matches in Berlin after easing past his namesake with one century break and three half-centuries.

Neil Robertson made a perfect start with a break of 87 seeing him take the opening frame.

And he moved 2-0 ahead as he took the second frame 85-25.

A break of 78 followed before a 135 saw the Australian extend his advantage to 4-0. There was no coming back for Jimmy Robertson as another frame-clinching break of 86 saw Neil Robertson seal the win.

Defending champion and top seed Ali Carter won 5-1 against Peng Yisong.

Carter was quickly into his stride as he opened with back-to-back breaks of 54 and 72 to take a 2-0 lead.

Peng took the third frame with a break of 80, but Carter edged a tight fourth to restore his two-frame advantage.

The next frames were also closely contested but both times it was Carter who came out on top, winning the fifth by seven points and the decisive sixth by 10 points.

Si Jiahui reeled off five frames in a row to beat Mark Joyce.

Joyce took the first frame 69-68, but Si responded with breaks of 57, 79, 87 and 140, before wrapping up a 5-1 victory.

Mark Allen is in action in the evening against Louis Heathcote, when Barry Hawkins will take on Mark Davis.

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