Judd Trump is relishing every match of his best-ever season as he prepares for a Players Championship semi-final showdown against either Neil Robertson or Mark Williams.
The world number five appeared to be heading for the exit when he trailed close friend Jack Lisowski 5-2 in their quarter-final clash on Wednesday but Trump rallied to turn the match in his favour.
Despite making breaks of 106 and 70, Trump found himself 4-2 behind against Lisowski, who had failed to make a half-century of his own to that point. A run of 81 in frame seven moved Lisowski on to the brink of victory.
Breaks of 75 and 51 helped Trump to draw level before he knocked in his second century, a 113, to take the match.
Trump is in the midst of his best season so far, having won the Dafabet Masters in January to go with ranking wins at Northern Ireland Open in November and last month’s World Grand Prix. The ‘Ace in the Pack’ is eager to keep his momentum going strong, with the big tournaments coming thick and fast.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be on this winning run, I don’t know how long it’s going to last,” he said. “To have sustained this form over nearly a whole season is very pleasing. I love the challenge of competing against top players and world champions so I’m looking forward to my next match.”
After Trump had gone in-off in the deciding frame, Lisowski potted an opening red before missing a thin cut on the black and leaving his opponent with what proved to be the match-winning opportunity in the balls.
Trump wasn’t for questioning the shot selection, admitting it might have been different had the black found the target.
“You have to weigh up your options at the time. He had been shut out for three frames so maybe he didn’t have the confidence to really go for it,” he added. “I’ve done it plenty of times in the past and people have questioned my shot choices. Sometimes they go in and sometimes they don’t.”
Trump is 2.70 favourite to win the Players Championship in Preston. Ronnie O’Sullivan, who faces John Higgins in the last-four, can be backed at 2.88.