'It is like art' - Judd Trump thrills with audacious break featuring a three-ball and two-ball plant
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Published 16/10/2022 at 16:43 GMT
Judd Trump has a liking for the Northern Ireland Open, having won it on three previous occasions. He made a superb start to his challenge in 2022 with a 4-1 win over Rod Lawler. The scoreline was a reflection of his dominance, and he turned on the style in the closing frame with a stunning break of 88 which contained a series of brilliant pots as he closed out the win.
'This has been exceptional'- Trump's impeccable final frame to beat Lawler
Judd Trump has curbed high-risk snooker to the benefit of his career, but he can still deliver exceptional moments and the break in the final frame of his victory over Rod Lawler in the opening round of the Northern Ireland Open had plenty.
Trump made a slow start, and lost a scrappy opening frame. But he found his rhythm as the contest progressed and when in command at 3-1, turned on the style.
The table did not look easy when Trump came to it, but he got in and split the pack superbly - only to somehow not fall on an easy red.
He had the option to run for cover, but thrilled the crowd at the Waterfront Hall with an outrageous two-ball plant - and for added tariff he played it with his opposite hand.
“What a way to keep the break alive,” Neal Foulds said on Eurosport commentary. “It looked dead and buried.”
A run of 114 earlier in the match suggested Trump was in good form, and he simply refused to let the break end.
He had plenty of opportunities to play safe, but on each occasion elected to take on, and pull off, tough pots.
“The last two shots I thought for all the world he was going to put a colour safe,” Foulds said after Trump rolled in a pink to the left middle with the cue ball tight under the bottom cushion, and followed it with a stunning red.
The two-ball plant to keep the break going was tough, the three-ball plant at match ball was even better.
“That is ridiculous,” Foulds said. “This break has gone from good to ridiculously good.”
Although it won’t go down on his century stats - it ended at 88 - it’s a break that will live long in the memory bank.
“It is one of my favourite places to come,” Trump said in the Eurosport studio. “Every time I come here the crowd is exceptional and I feed off that. It is a place where you want to play well.”
Reflecting on some of his majestic play, Trump said: “It is a bit of imagination.
“It is like art, I try to picture a shot no-one else would see and go out there and execute it.”
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The Home Nations series returns on Sunday with the Northern Ireland Open live and exclusive on discovery+. You can also watch Seventh Heaven, a two-part show about Ronnie O’Sullivan’s historic World Championship win last season, on demand now
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