Judd Trump set the early pace in his World Championship quarter-final against a misfiring John Higgins in Sheffield. Four-time world champion Higgins battled in typical fashion but he was not at his best as Trump came out of their first session with a 5-3 lead. The Ace in the Pack is chasing revenge in what is a repeat of the 2011 final, when Higgins won an epic clash 18-15 to pick up his fourth world title.
Trump hasn’t managed to reach the last-four in a World Championship since, while he’s also not faced Higgins at the Crucible since that decider. Scotland’s Higgins holds sway in the overall head-to-head, having won 11 of their 18 meetings previously. Trump showed he meant business as early as the third frame, trailing 57-1 before a clearance of 58 saw him steal the frame to lead 2-1. The 2011 UK Champion then went and compiled runs of 100 and 71 either side of the mid-session interval to move into a commanding 4-1 lead. But Higgins would not give in easily and he reduced the arrears to just one at 4-3 before the final frame of their first session in the best-of-25 quarter-final.
Trump would have felt like he’d allowed a chance slip if the session ended level but a break of 77 ensured he held the overnight lead. Mark Williams and Ali Carter, meanwhile, finished their first session tied at 4-4 on Tuesday afternoon and will be back on the baize on Wednesday afternoon. Trump is now 8/13 to win his tussle with Higgins, who is 5/4 ahead of their resumption for the middle session of their match.
Snooker odds available at Dafabet.