'I think I punched the air by accident' - Judd Trump admits relief after coming through epic with Ryan Day
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Published 11/01/2023 at 19:18 GMT
Despite playing catch-up for much of his Masters first round match against Ryan Day, Judd Trump emerged victorious following a deciding frame at Alexandra Palace. The 2019 winner finally got the better of his opponent in a match that went down to the wire. Stream the 2023 Masters and more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk
'Relieved' Trump says he 'punched the air by accident' after crucial miss by Day in Masters epic
Judd Trump has admitted his relief after moving into the quarter-finals of this year’s Masters following a punishing match against Ryan Day.
The two men slugged it out for nearly six hours at the Alexandra Palace with Trump finally making it through 6-5.
There was no shortage of drama in the match and even in the decider a winner wasn’t apparent until the final few balls.
Despite edging ahead, Trump was left ‘in trouble’ when Day forced one of the snookers required to potentially steal the win. However, after his opponent missed a vital brown right-middle, Trump was able to take the win.
“I was so relieved to have got to that point,” Trump said afterwards. “I just missed the pink and I knew it was trouble, he got me in an amazing snooker, there.
“I’m just thinking, ‘hit the yellow and probably won’t leave a free ball if I hit the red’.
“Left the free ball and I think when it [the brown] missed I think I punched the air by accident. It just come out. I’m so happy.
After losing the first frame, Trump was forced to play catch-up for much of the match and even admitted he was nervous at the start.
Hope looked lost in the eighth when he fell 5-3 behind after seeing an easy red smash off the jaws of the corner pocket and off the table.
A potential turning point however, came in the tenth frame when he sank a difficult brown from an awkward angle before going on to force the decider.
“It’s been a difficult season but I just had to dig in then,” he added. “I had some tremendous support and it helped me a lot.
“The brown was a very important shot.
“I was a bit nervous at the start to be honest and it kind of took me to go 5-3 behind to feel like the weight was lifted of me and I could go for my shots.
“Disappointed not to go 4-4. I don’t know what happened when the ball bounced off the table.”
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'This is huge' - Trump sinks awkward brown in impressive fashion in Masters clash with Day
Trump confessed it was a ‘body blow’ to lose the first frame but admitted Day can count himself unlucky not to have won the match – especially after an unfortunate pot of a red after a delightful black in the decider.
“It’s just an amazing venue, you don’t want to go out in the first round.
“I think Because I haven’t been winning as consistently, the belief isn’t there so you’re just kind of hoping in the first frame to get off to a good start and I threw away three or four good chances.
“I always say to my brother the first frame is absolutely massive. To lose that one is a body blow and he[Day] was always in control.
“He was extremely unlucky in the last frame because he potted an amazing ball to get in, he’s split the pack absolutely perfect, he’s going to go and win. He’s done nothing wrong and it’s just how snooker works.”
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'The most dramatic match of the Masters this year' - Trump beats Day in decider
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