World No.1 Judd Trump triumphed on day one, defeating China’s Bai Yulu and Lei Peifan to secure his place in a seventh Champion of Champions semi-final, taking another step towards lifting the title for a second time.
Reflecting on his success on day one, Trump said: “It’s always a great feeling to get off to a strong start in this event. Every player in the field is capable of beating anyone, so you have to be sharp from the very first frame. I felt good out there today, found my rhythm early, and hopefully I can carry that form through the rest of the week. I just tried to play my best, and I feel like I did that today.”
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Despite dropping the opening frame against Women’s World Champion Bai Yulu, the World No.1 soon found his stride, producing a convincing 4–1 win to progress to the group final. There he faced Lei Peifan, who impressed on debut with a 4–1 victory over Masters champion Shaun Murphy in the opening match.
The pair met for the second time this season, having last faced off at this year’s Tour Championship. Trump took control early by claiming the opening frame, though Lei capitalised on an error from the Brit to level the scores. From there, the World No.1 shifted through the gears, displaying the class and composure that have defined his reign at the top of the sport, reeling off four consecutive frames to move 5–1 ahead.
Lei showed fight to pull one back, but Trump swiftly extinguished any hopes of a comeback in the following and final frame to seal a 6–2 victory and book his place in the semi-finals, where he will face the winner of day two.
Day two promises fireworks as the former world champion Kyren Wilson, collides with in-form Jack Lisowski, fresh off his Northern Ireland Open victory, while Mark Allen faces reigning World Champion Zhao Xintong in a blockbuster showdown.
There are still a limited number of tickets available across the week, starting from £15 a session. Secure your ticket here.
For those wanting to catch the action live, find the full list of global broadcasters here.
