The Masters 2023: Judd Trump avoids latest Masters shock with epic win over Ryan Day to book quarter-final place

ByIbrahim Mustapha

Updated 11/01/2023 at 18:56 GMT

Judd Trump is into the quarter-finals of the 2023 Masters but was made to work for his win after being pushed all the way by an unfortunate Ryan Day. Trump took the match in a decider as the two men went at it for almost six hours at Alexandra Palace. Stream the 2023 Masters and more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk

Judd Trump narrowly avoided another shock at this year's Masters as he battled past Ryan Day in an epic encounter at Alexandra Palace.

Following the exits of Neil Robertson, Mark Allen and Mark Selby and John Higgins earlier in the week, Trump was the latest big name in the firing line as Day pushed him all the way.

A dramatic near-six hour marathon eventually saw Trump emerge by the skin of his teeth in a tense decider.

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Trump started brightly and looked on course to take the first frame but some crucial misses including a black off the spot opened the door for Day who was able to clear up for an early lead.

The 2019 champion couldn’t find his rhythm in the second and presented Day with a chance to double his advantage, but he failed to take it.

Both men appeared to be feeling the tension as a missed brown from Trump was followed by Day failing to sink the blue and former was able to claw his way over the line to level the scores.

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With suggestions that the table was playing heavy, the errors continued but Day was able to keep his composure to retake the lead.

Trump was able to restore parity before the interval but had a helping hand from his opponent who surrendered a remarkable 35 points in the fourth frame.

Day appeared to come out with more of a spring in his step but as he looked to be closing in on a third lead in the match, a missed black off the spot could have proved fatal.

Trump, however, couldn’t capitalise and soon conceded to go behind once more but almost out of nowhere, rolled back the years to make it 3-3 with a delightful 105 break.

This proved to be a brief respite however, as the cat-and-mouse nature of the match continued with a cagey seventh frame in which Day was able to edge ahead for the fourth time.

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It was a similar story in the next frame as Trump looked set to level but saw a ferociously-hit red clatter off the corner jaws and off the table.

With the frame in the balance, a tactical exchange ensued as the two men swatted the yellow around the table.

Trump was first to blink and Day was able to see off the remaining colours for a two-frame lead within one of victory.

The drama continued in the ninth with Day closing in on victory only to overcut a crucial red. Trump was back in the frame but failure to pot the pink meant Day was able to set up a respotted black.

Day attempted to take on a long pot for victory but was unable to sink it as Trump narrowed the lead back down to one at the end of a frame lasting nearly half an hour.

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Big chances came and went in the tenth and when Day missed a cut-back black, Trump was able to clean up the colours including a near-impossible brown at an angle, to set up a decider.

A huge stroke of fortune fell Trump's way in the final frame when Day sent down a black only to see a red fly off into the left middle clearing something of a path for his opponent.

After doubling the third-last red, the former world No. 1 looked up in relief thinking he had virtually sealed the match but play continued as Day chased snookers to stay in contention.

When Trump hit the yellow and left a free ball, it looked like we were in for one final crazy twist but Day couldn't sink the brown to right middle and Trump finally drew the match to a close.

He now faces Barry Hawkins in the last eight.

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Stream the 2023 Masters and more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk

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