Judd Trump crushes Elliot Slessor to set up Northern Ireland Open final with Kyren Wilson
Updated 26/10/2024 at 22:06 GMT+1
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Judd Trump powered into the final of the Northern Ireland Open with a comprehensive win over Elliot Slessor at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Saturday evening. Trump has won the event on four occasions, and made a statement of intent that he has no intention of surrendering his title. Slessor was comprehensively outplayed by Trump who set up a final meeting with Kyren Wilson.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
Judd Trump produced a dazzling display to demolish Elliot Slessor in the semi-finals of the Northern Ireland Open.
Trump, the defending champion, is bidding to win the Alex Higgins Trophy for a record-extending fifth time and made a statement of intent on Saturday night.
Slessor made it through to a ranking semi-final for the fourth time in his career, but he was comprehensively outpointed by Trump.
Trump made breaks of 78, 61 and 90 - outscoring his opponent 502 to 62 - to set up a final with Kyren Wilson at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
Slessor had a chance in the opener but missed a red when attempting to put a trace of side on the white to hold for the black.
Handing openings to Trump has not been a sensible plan of attack for players in recent seasons, but Slessor was not punished for his error as the world No. 1 broke down after a hard-working break of 40.
Trump got in again following a good piece of safety play and secured the points required to take the opener, dazzling the crowd with some shot-making brilliance in the process.
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'Off and running' - Trump wraps up opening frame of Northern Ireland Open semi against Slessor
Video credit: TNT Sports
Slessor likely went back to his seat after his break-off shot in the second frame fairly content, but Trump picked off a stunning opening red. It came as a surprise when he ran out of position after making 29.
Trump’s all-round game is the envy of most in the sport and unfazed by losing position - he played an excellent safety.
Keeping Trump quiet is a difficult task, and he got going once again with a risk-free cross-double that went cleanly into the left middle to set up a frame-winning contribution of 78 to double his lead.
A chance came Slessor’s way in the third, but after being kept cold for over 20 minutes he failed to make the pot, but Trump missed a sitter by his standards when on a break of 23.
At his next visit, Slessor was disturbed by a noise in the audience and missed with the rest by a distance, and for a short while he lost his focus.
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Trump seemed disturbed by his surprise miss of a pink and the third frame turned scrappy. But a sloppy safety from Slessor allowed the four-time winner an opening and he knocked in a long red before racing through a break of 61 to extend his lead to three frames.
The onslaught continued in frame four, as Trump picked off a break of 90 to go into the interval with a commanding lead.
Slessor’s fortunes did not change upon the resumption, as he slapped his cue in frustration after missing an admittedly difficult black. The miss transformed the fifth frame, as the black sat over the jaws of the bottom right and reds were congregated on top of it.
The impasse was broken when Slessor attempted to squeeze a red in off the black, but it failed to drop and Trump stepped in to make it five frames on the spin.
Too often in the match, Slessor slashed at balls with massive force, and Neal Foulds said on Eurosport commentary that adrenaline may have been a contributing factor for the underdog.
His final shot of the match was a disappointing one, as he had a chance to pinch the sixth but missed a pink that he hit at high pace to try and get on the yellow - and seconds later he offered his hand to Trump.
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Trump wraps up whitewash win over Slessor in Northern Ireland Open semi-final clash
Video credit: TNT Sports
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Watch and stream the Northern Ireland Open live on Eurosport and discovery+
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