World Grand Prix 2023 snooker LIVE – Judd Trump faces Mark Allen in final in Cheltenham
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Updated 22/01/2023 at 23:03 GMT
Follow live updates from the World Grand Prix snooker from the Centaur Arena at Cheltenham Racecourse. Masters winner Judd Trump looks to continue his recent upturn in fortunes in the final against the season's form player Mark Allen, who dismissed Noppon Saengkham 6-1 in Friday’s first semi-final. Trump beat Shaun Murphy 6-2 in Saturday’s second semi-final.
The moment Judd Trump sealed the Masters title
That'll do us
Thanks for your company this week, we'll be back in a few days with love coverage of the Snooker Shoot Out for you. Until then, be well out there.
Applause, trophy, confetti
Mark takes it all, and is beaming now. Breaks of 58, 88, 63, 77, 88, 141 and 52 isn't a bad day at the office. What a competitor he's becoming; them most important break he made today was that gritty 43 to go 9-8 up when everything was running in Judd's favour. Those are the kind of breaks that win you world titles, because changing momentum at the Crucible is crucial and always, always necessary if you're going to win there.
Mark chat
He talks about how nervous he was at the end. 'He had me completely gone there,' admits Mark, who is proud of himself for dragging it over the line. Mark is only the tenth player to win three ranking events in one season. About the tournament as a whole he's not even that happy at how he played, bar going 7-2 in front today. And yet, he'll have his mits on the trophy shortly. What a run he's on; Mark is a serious problem for everyone in the game now, and will be a serious contender in Sheffield.
Mark Allen is the World Grand Prix champion
He's getting used to this. That's his third ranking event victory of an incredible season, and Mark is now up to number three in the world. He's won 110 large with the highest break prize added to the winners cheque too; what a day's work from him! Judd ultimately left himself too much to do, and he might be seeing that missed yellow in his sleep tonight.
Trump 9-10 Allen
The break ends on 52, and a smiling Judd shakes hands with a visibly relieved Mark Allen. What an effort from Judd to take it this far, and what a show of moxie from Mark at the end!
Trump 9-9 Allen (19-60)
It might look like a practice table clearance, but I'll wager it doesn't feel like one. Mark just needs to mop up the reds with colours and it'll be done. The final red is frame ball, and Mark takes it on to the left middle. He rolls it slow...and it's there! The blue follows, and he's about to win another title!
Trump 9-9 Allen (19-24)
Judd has a tempter to the right middle from off the bottom cushion. He gives it everything, but it rolls out off the knuckles; that's handed a big chance to Mark, but he badly misses a cut on red to yellow pocket and leaves it as a tap-in! Is that his last shot? No - because after Judd taps in the red, he misses a routine yellow! Oh my, he's left Mark right in the reds at the south of the table too. Mark quickly hits the front, and what a spread he's got to go at. If he can hold it together here, he'll win the title.
Trump 9-9 Allen (18-8)
Judd gets in with a long red to the bottom right, and he's on the green. It's a chance, but it falls apart on 11 as Judd misses a green to the yellow pocket. He doesn't leave anything though, as he cued it so badly. From Mark's safety Judd then booms in a plant, splitting reds, but fails to land on the black. He smiles ruefully; my word this is tense.
Trump 9-9 Allen (6-8)
All either player wants here is just one chance to go at. Judd gets first look, as a containing safety from Mark leaves a cut on to the left middle. It's so thin, but Judd slices it home and gets handy kiss to land on the brown. That disappears, but from his next red he loses position on the pink and it's end of break. From his safety, Mark puts a brilliant red into the bottom left after playing cushion first, and is unlucky not to land nicely on a colour. He then cuts in a superb black to the bottom left, but can't follow it up as he badly misses a red with his next shot. Mark is a touch lucky not to leave anything there.
Trump 9-9 Allen
It's a 76 from Judd, and this one is going all the way!
Trump 8-9 Allen (50-0)
This is superb from Judd, as he locks in and puts a quick, rhythmic break together. It's a half-ton already, and with four reds still in the wide open a decider is starting to look nailed on here. What a match, and what an effort from Judd to turn this around.
Trump 8-9 Allen (15-0)
Judd plays an aggressive safety at the start of frame 18, opening the reds up; it's short of pace though, and he's left Mark a chance at a red to bottom left. Mark tries to drop it in and land on the blue, but misses it and Judd gets in instead. The gamble paid off, just. It's a decent chance given the spread of reds, but Judd knows every shot from here could be his last if he misses.
Trump 8-9 Allen
What a shot here from Mark, just when he needed it; he lands a superb snooker of his own behind the green. In attempting to escape Judd misses the yellow, crashes into the black and immediately concedes. Mark is one away from the title!
Trump 8-8 Allen (27-58)
Judd takes another red-black so we're on to the colours, which are set nicely for snookers. There's half a chance here for Judd, and he lands one snooker on the yellow from which Mark escapes. This is the longest frame of the match so far.
Trump 8-8 Allen (19-58)
Judd drains a red into the bottom right - I don't think he meant that, because he's landed nowhere near a high value colour. He gets the brown in, so the requirement is still one four point snooker, with which he could tie. Mark misses a thin cut on a red to right middle to finish it, and Judd takes a red-black but fails to land a snooker on the final red.
Trump 8-8 Allen (6-58)
Mark digs in and gets the break to 43 with the pink, and Judd now requires a snooker. What a gutsy effort it's been, and could be one of the most important mini-breaks of his career. He plays safe off the last three reds, and for the moment has steadied a listing ship.
Trump 8-8 Allen (6-41)
Mark's game, so watertight for most of the tournament, has gone ragged at the worst possible moment. He misses a pink to the bottom right, but doesn't pay for it as Judd chokes down a red but then misses a tough pink of his own. Mark's back in, and stitches together a gritty 26 and counting, and if he can mop up the two reds that are free with high value colours he'll leave Judd needing a snooker. Three other reds, cushion adjacent behind the black, are out of commission at the moment.
Trump 8-8 Allen (5-14)
Flip a coin from here. Although the momentum is with Judd, that could change with just one loose shot. Mark has a blast at a long red to bottom left as a shot to nothing, but misses. His long game has deserted him for the moment. Mark then gives away four after failing to feather touch the white close to a red when playing safe. A long safety exchange is then ended as Judd picks out a plant to the bottom left, but he can't then cut in a tough blue to keep going, and he's served up a chance for Mark. It's not the easiest table as the black is tied up and, while split, a lot of the reds are very tight to each other. If he can stay on the pink though, he can score.
Trump 8-8 Allen
Cash your luck in, because the other guy wouldn't hesitate. Judd drains frame ball red, and goes on to make 58 and pull level in this final. He was 7-2 behind, and he's now made it a best-of-three!
Trump 7-8 Allen (47-1)
Judd's furious with himself as he underhits a red into the left middle and fails to land on a baulk colour. That's end of break on 31, and a big chance has gone begging there. Judd's snooker behind the yellow retrieves things though, as Mark fails to escape and leaves a red on to the bottom right. The momentum and swings of fortune are in Judd's favour right now. As if to prove this point, Judd tries to make a three ball plant to the bottom right, and the red jaws out, goes up the table and bounces all the way back down to drop softly into it's intended pocket. My stars, that is some fluke!
Trump 7-8 Allen (22-1)
Every attempt to get in with a long red feels loaded with meaning now. Judd takes one on to the bottom right, and misses it; Mark tags one into the bottom left, but can't put the brown into the right middle thereafter and he's gifted a chance to Judd. Points are accumulating rapidly again, and a lovely delayed screw shot from Judd runs the cue ball through the pack, landing him nicely on a red and freeing others. That's a glorious shot.
Trump 7-8 Allen
They're going in off the lampshades now, as Judd pots a preposterous pink to left middle, going around the angles to leave him a shot at the final red. That doesn't go, but he's won another one - that's five out of the last six frames.
Trump 6-8 Allen (64-11)
Crikey! In trouble from a safety, Judd deliberates for two full minutes before gambling the lot on a thin cut on a red to bottom right. It has to go in as balls will be going everywhere - and it does! What a pot that is, and the frame as it his mercy now. A swift 25 and counting puts it at the snookers required stage, and Judd's going to close the gap to one frame.
Trump 6-8 Allen (39-11)
An attacking safety from Mark opens the reds up. Judd drains one from distance, but doesn't fancy a tough brown to keep going and plays a snooker. Mark escapes it, but leaves a red to left middle and Judd's back in. That was good matchplay stuff from Judd, as given the circumstances it'd be easy to get hooked into taking on everything. Disaster strikes for Judd though - in clipping in a thin green, the out of control white flies into the right middle! Is the pressure getting to Mark a bit though? He can't convert a long red from the D, but neither can Judd with his effort straight after. This is getting tense.
Trump 6-8 Allen (37-7)
Judd negotiates a tough black while bridging high over the pink, but then misses a red to the right middle. Mark can't then clip a red into the same pocket, but it was played with safety in mind and the cue ball lands tight behind the yellow. Judd needs two efforts to connect with a two cushion escape, and leaves a red on to the right middle. Mark plugs it, followed by the yellow, but can't land on another red to start putting a break together.
Trump 6-8 Allen (21-0)
Now then! Mark takes on a deadweight red to hold for the black to start frame 15. It's close, but it coughs out of the bottom left. Judd then picks it off with the full set of rest and cue extensions, and he's in again. He's really making a fight of this final now, and looks properly tuned in when he's amongst the balls.
Trump 6-8 Allen
It's getting interesting now, because One Visit Judd is in the building tonight. He empties the table with an 87, and we've got us a live one folks!
Trump 5-8 Allen (54-41)
Judd clips in a pink on the stretch, moving two reds apart as he does so, and he's now favourite for the frame. All reds are open, all colours are on their spots. The half-century is soon secured, and up to and including the baulk colours will do this.
Trump 5-8 Allen (14-41)
On 41 Mark leaves himself a nasty cut on a red, narrow to the bottom right, and he's missed it. Judd thin snicks it in, then goes into the pack off the brown; that only leaves a red along the cushion to the bottom left, but Judd drops it in superbly and this is a huge chance to steal. What a difference this could make; this upcoming break could be key in this final.
Trump 5-8 Allen (0-22)
Judd misses two attempts at long reds at the start of frame 14. The second is damaging, as it leaves Mark a cut on a red to right middle and he drops it in. The white lands welded to the upper left rail but Mark rolls in a nerveless blue, and he's suddenly got a frame-winning chance. There are loads of open reds to play on and all the colours are available; this is a huge chance to move within one of victory.
Trump 5-8 Allen
There's another one back, as Judd's 40 puts frame 13 in the bank.
Trump 4-8 Allen (71-0)
Judd's long game fails him again as he misses a red long to the bottom right, but Mark can't convert a red along the rail to the same pocket and Judd is in. He should put the frame away now, and a swift 20 and counting does the necessary.
Trump 4-8 Allen (51-0)
Judd booms into the pack off the blue. They've split well, but he's badly hampered by another red on the only pot he can play here. No matter; he jabs it in and goes up for the blue for his half-century, but loses position off it and only has a difficult red across the table to the left middle. Judd misses it high on the knuckle, and Mark has a chance to counter but can't convert a tough cut back on a red.
Trump 4-8 Allen (23-0)
We're back, and we'll settle for more of that if you'd be so kind. Those four frames whistled by, an astonishing standard of one hit frames. Can Judd fire back here? He's in first as Mark misses a long red to the bottom left and leaves it over the yellow pocket. Within minutes, Judd is flying again, as his break reaches 23 and counting. There's a lot to go at here, with the black on to both corners.
Trump 4-8 Allen
Another black takes Mark to 75, and he's home and hosed in this one.The pack gets the nudge it needs and Mark makes a plant to keep his break shifting. There's a 141 on here, so he could (for now) take the five large out of the back bins of Judd and Shaun Murphy. He wouldn't, would he? Well, he has - Mark clears up for a sumptuous 141 to keep his four-frame lead at the interval! What a break! He's already walking out of the arena before the black drops, and he's now two away from the title. Judd will be sick. That break could have been his had the opening red dropped, and put him right back in this final.
We'll be back with you in 15 minutes.
Trump 4-7 Allen (0-53)
The break moves to 53 as Mark stuns in the black and moves another red into play; he's not taking any undue risks here as he nurses this effort to the winning line. If he mops up the reds that go from here, he won't need to trouble the pack until the frame is beyond doubt.
Trump 4-7 Allen (0-38)
Mark breaks, and Judd has a tempter to the bottom right to hold for the black. Judd drills it, only to see the red rattle furiously in the jaws and refuse to drop. The chance - and it's a big one, given the spread - falls to Mark instead. A barrage of reds and blacks follows, including a tough jab at one red while bridging another, before Mark is forced up for the blue. That goes too, and this is developing very nicely for him.
Trump 4-7 Allen
It's back to back centuries for Judd as he empties the table again, this time for a 108. That's ton number 895 in his career. There's a big old frame coming up next.
Trump 3-7 Allen (51-30)
Judd looks on it at the moment, as a half-ton is quickly in the books. The final four reds are all in the open too, so he should claw back another one here. Whether he's left himself too much to do will become apparent, but if he can take the final frame before the interval too this final could get very interesting.
Trump 3-7 Allen (1-30)
What a start we've had tonight. At the get go in frame 11, Mark serenely deadweights a red into the bottom right and pops up off the bottom cushion to land perfectly on the black. He looks very good here; a lovely shot in potting one red sees a controlled roll through bring three more reds into play and land him on the black. It's gone wrong now though; another trip into the pack leaves only an awkward jab at a red to yellow pocket, and he's missed it. Judd responds by draining one into the same bag, and this is a chance.
Trump 3-7 Allen
Judd does go into the pack and they split like a practice table. Frame ball red soon disappears as the break hits 68, and Judd's trying to stay on the black here for a total clearance that well secure a ten grand cash prize for him. A pink off the second to last red means he can make 140, and split the ten large with Shaun Murphy unless either of these two beats it later on. Judd duly empties the table for a superb 140; that's 5k in the bank at least, and more importantly he's stopped the run of frames against him.
Trump 2-7 Allen (51-0)
It's a half-ton for Judd, courtesy of a thundering red to right middle and a black to follow. He's nudged a few more out with that red too, and has a good shot at taking this out in one go. One more compliant whack on the pack should do it.
Trump 2-7 Allen (20-0)
Mark breaks, and it's a loose one that leaves a red on to the left middle. Judd drains it and soon moves down to the business end of the table. In terms of break-building he's done little outside of a 74 earlier in the match, and badly needs a heavy visit here.
Trump 2-7 Allen
Great Scott. Mark hits 88, and he's now won six frames in a row. A shame we didn't get the ton, but Judd's mistake was punished mercilessly there.
Trump 2-6 Allen (0-72)
Mark plays another glancing blow of the pack off the blue, and he's nicely on a red that squirts out. That goes, as does frame ball black; he's going to win another one, and we're on for the first ton of the day here too.
Trump 2-6 Allen (0-52)
This is lovely stuff from Mark, as he glances three reds away from the pack before reaching his half-century with the blue. There are three open reds to play for here and they will put him over the winning line if he can pick them off.
Trump 2-6 Allen (0-24)
Mark leaves Judd a straight, mid-range red in the first frame of the evening; Judd misses it by an alarming margin, and he's left Mark right in. That could be a disastrous start if Mark can fill his boots here. As is his way now, this is a very calm, measured break from Mark as he reaches 24 and counting.
Here we go
The players are baizeside, it's time. Mark needs four, Judd needs eight; let's get it done.
Can Judd do this?
Winning this first mini-session will be Judd's target, and a couple of quick, one-hit frames from him could transform this match. He played poorly this afternoon, but was made to look poor; Mark had the patience to stick to a tight gameplan, and what's been paying of all season is paying off today. He didn't play that fluently himself earlier, so if he can get his arm going this could be done very quickly.
Welcome back
We've got the destination of the World Grand Prix title and 100 large to sort out. Mark Allen has established a commanding lead, can he see it over the line or will Judd Trump come roaring back? Well, let's see!
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That's us for now
Join us again from 6.45pm BST to see how it all pans out.
Allen moves ahead in final showdown
Judd actually led this match 2-1 in the early stages. Since then it's been a grinding display of matchplay snooker from Mark, who has locked Judd's game in a straitjacket and won five frames on the spin. It's not been spectacular - the highest break of the day was an 88 from Mark - but it's been spectacularly effective. And, if Judd can't start firing and turn around the momentum in the match, it's going to secure Mark another ranking title.
Trump 2-6 Allen
Mark empties the table with a 77 and wins his fifth frame in a row, establishing a huge lead ahead of the final session tonight.
Trump 2-5 Allen (0-63)
The break clangs to a halt on 30, as Mark misses a red to left middle. What a let off for Judd, but he can't take advantage; he misses a red long to the yellow pocket by a mile, walking off in disgust before the red had even reached the destination. Surely now Mark will put the frame away, and sure enough frame ball red is soon dispatched.
Trump 2-5 Allen (0-38)
Mark's risk-averse strategy is put to the test when he has no option but to pot his way out of bother with the white welded to the bottom rail. He deadweights a red gently into the left middle, and would have been leaving everything had it missed. High risk, high reward though; it's now a chance to win the frame. His break is at 22 and counting, and all he needs to do here is focus as the requisite points are all in the open for him.
Trump 2-5 Allen (0-16)
Judd was 2-1 ahead earlier in the match, but he's struggling now and will just want this session to end. He misses a red to right middle to get in, and by way of reply Mark drags a stunning red long into the green pocket, and he's on the black. It's a decent look, but an early trip into the pack doesn't work out and a containing safety follows.
Trump 2-5 Allen
A 29 from Mark means he's halfway to the target, and certain of a lead when the players return tonight. The next frame is the final one of the session, and it's huge.
Trump 2-4 Allen (8-69)
This could be the frame. Judd gets in after poor safety from Mark catches the knuckle of the right middle, but overcuts a black to bottom right and Mark only needs a few reds and colours to put this to bed. Sure enough, a quick 15 and counting will extend the lead further.
Trump 2-4 Allen (8-54)
Mark can only make seven before losing position, and this could be destined to be another bitty frame. Neither player is near their top level so far today, but Judd seems further away than Mark. He's not getting the run either; after picking out a brilliant plant on two reds, he sends the white straight into the right middle. Mark returns the favour though, as he immediately plugs the white into the green pocket from his safety from the D.
Trump 2-4 Allen (4-43)
It's a bit of a reprieve for Judd as Mark carelessly loses position on 39 and can't convert a tough long red into the green pocket to keep going. A safety exchange follows and both players give away four points, but Judd's are for going in-off and he's just handed Mark another gift of a chance from the D.
Trump 2-4 Allen (0-32)
A poor shot from Mark leaves Judd a mid-range red to the bottom right, which rattles in the jaws and spits out. That could be a big miss, as it's gifted Mark an easy starter and a lot to go at. Can he take a third frame in a row in one visit? The break is up to 32 already and it's all reds and blacks so far.
Trump 2-4 Allen
It's a 63 for Mark as he misses the green, but Judd stats rooted rather than chase three snookers. For the first time today, we have a clear lead in the match.
Trump 2-3 Allen (28-56)
Mark's break almost goes awry as he plays to shift the two awkward reds, but he manages to swerve the white around one to wriggle the blue into the yellow pocket and keep going. All the reds are in the open now and the half-century is in the bag with the pink. It's a cut on the final red into the bottom left for the frame, and Mark clips it in to land on the blue.
Trump 2-3 Allen (28-24)
Oh my, what a shocker! Judd opts to go into the pack off the blue, but takes his eye off the routine pot and misses it on the low knuckle. He's split the reds too, and it's handed a big chance to Mark. Two reds have crept over to near the left rail, but everything else is open to make hay with and he duly sets about doing that.
Trump 2-3 Allen (24-0)
Judd gets in early in frame six, and a superb shot to pot one red and nudge another out of the line of black to bottom left opens the frame right up. These are the kind of chances he usually devours, and one compliant split of the pack could finish this one very swiftly indeed.
Trump 2-3 Allen
Mark misses the final black to right middle, but that 88 is his best visit of the match and he's in front.
Trump 2-2 Allen (25-64)
It's another half-century for Mark, his second of the match, and the blue before the final red ensures Judd will now need a snooker...which won't be happening, as the final red disappears off the table soon after.
Trump 2-2 Allen (25-35)
A poor safety from Judd leaves the white in the middle of the table, and Mark gets in. It's a decent chance, and a delicate split of the remaining reds off the black works out perfectly. Nothing is safe and it's a practice table opportunity to win a frame now.
Trump 2-2 Allen (25-1)
We're back, and Mark drains a long red immediately but opts against taking a difficult cut back on the black and plays safe. Last season he'd probably have taken that on, but the tighter, matchplay game he's utilised to such good effect this season is more cautious. Will it work against an opponent like Judd though? It's Judd who's in next after Mark misses a red to left middle, but on 25 his trip into the pack doesn't work out and it's end of break.
Trump 2-2 Allen
An excellent snooker from Mark forces a miss from Judd, who now needs a snooker. He has a few goes, but soon leaves the red over the yellow pocket and Mark drains it. The yellow follows, and Judd folds it.
That's 2-2 at the interval, we'll be back in 15 minutes.
Trump 2-1 Allen (31-64)
From his ensuing safety Mark goes in-off, and with ball in hand Judd drains a red from the D, followed by the yellow, but can't then plug another red to keep going. A few shots later both Judd and Mark twitch on reds to middle bags, missing badly, before Judd taps the penultimate red in to the bottom right. He can't get on the final one though, and we're into a safety battle on the final red.
Trump 2-1 Allen (16-64)
Well now! On 58 Mark tries to cut in the black and nudge the pink out of the line of frame ball red. He gets the nudge, but misses the pot - Judd is still in this one. A dish in one visit looks unlikely as two of the remaining five reds are near cushions, and the break collapses before then anyhow; Judd loses position off the black, and then plays a poor safety that's left a red to the yellow pocket. Mark drains it, but then plays a horror of a shot himself as he fails to find position off the blue on what would be frame ball red!
Trump 2-1 Allen (8-51)
A controlled split of the pack off the black gives Mark a great chance to now bank this frame in one hit. The half-ton soon arrives, followed by a delicate red to right middle to keep going after bridging high over another red. That's a lovely shot, and should sort it.
Trump 2-1 Allen (8-23)
Judd drains a lovely long red to the bottom right and holds for the black to kick off frame four. He has to bridge awkwardly on his next red though, and leaves it in the jaws of the bottom left. It's very early but that could be a subtle change in momentum as Judd looked set to score heavily again there. Mark fills his boots instead, and takes control of the frame.
Trump 2-1 Allen
Frame ball black goes before Judd runs out of reds to pot. Needing two snookers, Mark takes one look at the table and waves it off.
Trump 1-1 Allen (53-0)
Judd lets his arm go for the first time in the match, and picks out a lovely made plant on two reds on his way to a half-century. There's enough in the wide open to get this done without needing to disturb five reds that are adjacent to cushions.
Trump 1-1 Allen (22-0)
It's a scruffy match so far. Judd misses a red long to the bottom right, and Mark can't chase it in thereafter using the rest. That hands a chance to Judd, who quickly gets the tied up pink into play and sets about a break.
Trump 1-1 Allen
Judd misses two long yahoos at the final red, before finally nailing a third and landing on the blue. That's the frame done as Judd clears to the blue before bouncing the white off the table after blasting in the pink. We're all square, and Mark might rue a few conservative shots on that final red when he might have forced the issue.
Trump 0-1 Allen (48-27)
It's a tough little break this, and a couple of excellent shots from Judd bring reds off cushions to give him a chance of a frame-winning visit. He can't quite get on the final red on the left rail though, so plays it safe and we've still got a live one here.
Trump 0-1 Allen (25-27)
Judd soon gets back in, and this chance looks like it might be a bit more adhesive until he misses a wallop on a red to bottom left to abruptly end his break on 18. He's not quite in his rhythm yet. Mark then flukes an outrageous red into the left middle, and he's up and away. He rides his luck early in the break with a fortuitous flick to land on the pink, and then misses a later pink to left middle and immediately complains about some movement in the crowd. Mark is vexed, and Judd is back in.
Trump 0-1 Allen (7-8)
Mark cross-doubles a red as a shot to nothing, before tucking Judd in behind the green. Safety follows, before Judd gets a proper foothold in the match by booming a red long into the bottom right. The cue ball catches a flier off the knuckle to boot, and lands him perfectly on the blue. Touch! Luck soon reverses on him though, as an unplanned flick on a red sends him in-off when potting the black a few shots later.
Trump 0-1 Allen
Or not! Mark cuts a red into the bottom right, followed by the black, before tucking Judd tight in behind the yellow. It's a brutal snooker and, already requiring one anyway, Judd concedes the frame.
Trump 0-0 Allen (22-50)
Judd gets in and looks set to clear the reds at least, but is forced into taking a black right-handed on the way and misses it thick. There are two reds left out there and the colours are scattered; we may be here for a while.
Trump 0-0 Allen (6-50)
A sloppy safety from Judd leaves Mark a red to left middle. That goes, but he's not on a colour so Mark puts the yellow safe and leaves the white in baulk. A safety exchange ensues, in which Mark cracks first and leaves a red mid-range to the bottom left. Judd rolls it in, and the counter is on - until Judd misses a simple red to the green bag and leaves it. Mark pots it, needing a touch of check side to do so, and as a result he's not on a colour again. It's gone a bit scrappy.
Trump 0-0 Allen (0-48)
It's still all reds and blacks, but Mark's trip into the pack off the black leaves the white tight on the left rail and with no obvious red to go at. He plays safe to baulk, nixing his break on 48.
Trump 0-0 Allen (0-24)
Mark tries a deadweight long red to the bottom right to hold for the black, but it's way off and he's left Judd a red to right middle. Surprisingly, Judd rolls it out off the knuckles, and he's left it as a sitter for Mark who is in and away. It's three reds and blacks so far.
Here we go
First to ten it is then, and we'll have eight frames for you this afternoon. Mark enters first, followed by Judd, and we're about to get it happening.
Juddernaut
Last Sunday scratched an itch for Judd. His win at the Masters was his first triple crown title since winning the World Championship in 2019. He's on a cracking run so far in 2023, and brushed aside an in-form Shaun Murphy yesterday to reach the final.
Pistol
Mark has been vocal about his change in attitude and approach to the game as of last summer, and boy is it paying off for him. He’s served enough notice of his talent down the years, landing big, prestigious titles over the last decade, but his consistency this season has vaulted him into the top five in the world. Mark is a serious player now, with a tight B game that holds up if the A game ain’t firing.
Good afternoon!
Welcome to live coverage of the World Grand Prix final from Cheltenham, and what a match we’ve got in prospect here. Mark Allen has been the player of the season so far, winning both the UK Championship and Northern Ireland Open, and is in his fourth ranking event final of 2022/23 so far. Facing him today is one Judd Trump, fresh from winning the Masters for the second time last Sunday. We’ve got two form horses here, and it should be a belter!
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Follow updates here from 13:00.
Judd Trump will face Mark Allen in the final of the World Grand Prix after he beat Shaun Murphy 6-2 in the second semi-final on Saturday.
The 2019 world champion dictated most of the match, and despite a tournament-best 140 break from Murphy in the third frame, comfortably set up a tie with Allen in the final after rattling out breaks of 57, 85, 112 and 51.
Allen – who has already won the Northern Ireland Open and the UK Championship this season – breezed past Noppon Saengkham, claiming a 6-1 victory in the first semi-final of the World Grand Prix. The Pistol rattled off runs of 73, 66, 78 and 127 in a one-sided affair.
The final will be a best-of-19 affair played over two sessions on Sunday.
World Grand Prix Schedule
SUNDAY
Final
- 13:00 & 19:00 - Mark Allen v Judd Trump
World Grand Prix Format
Round 1 ran until the end of Wednesday afternoon, before Round 2 started on Wednesday evening.
The quarter-finals took place on Thursday night and Friday afternoon, with the first semi-finals contested on Friday and Saturday nights.
The final is on Sunday across two sessions.
- Round 1: Best-of-seven
- Round 2: Best-of-seven
- Quarter-Finals: Best-of-nine
- Semi-Finals: Best-of-11
- Final: Best-of-19
What is the World Grand Prix?
There’s no let up in the snooker calendar as the World Grand Prix has arrived. The event sees the top 32 players from the one-year ranking list in action and is the first of three tournaments that are part of the Players Series.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is the defending champion after he defeated Neil Robertson 10-8 in an exciting final last season, but the Rocket lost to Saengkham in the last 16 this time out. This year’s event is back in Cheltenham for the first time in three years.
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