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World Grand Prix 2024 Snooker: Judd Trump Reaches Final with Hard-Fought Win over Cao Yupeng
Judd Trump overcame a minor hiccup mid-game to defeat Cao Yupeng 6-2 and advance to the final of the World Grand Prix in Leicester. The match began cautiously, marked by several safety plays, but a significant misjudgment from the world No. 43 led to an error in positioning the cue ball, offering Trump the first opportunity for a substantial break.
As the top seed in the tournament, Trump capitalized on this chance, potting the first ball of the evening. Another mistake from Cao allowed Trump to score 34 on his second meaningful visit, followed by an impressive break of 70 through the pack, securing the opening frame.
In just their fourth meeting, Judd Trump’s initial surgical precision persisted into the second encounter, despite a couple of anxious mistakes. Building on four reds and four blacks, the world No. 2 amassed a score of 32 before attempting to navigate through the reds in pursuit of a century break. A long pink into the green pocket left him one point shy on 99, but a brilliant shot on a red down the cushion secured the century break and a two-frame lead.
Judd Trump continued to capitalize on more careless play from Cao, showcasing his skill with another impressive red into the yellow pocket to establish his rhythm in the third frame. A break of 61 had him on track to secure a three-frame advantage. However, a misstep occurred when he potted the cue ball off a red into the right corner. Despite this error, Cao failed to capitalize on the opportunity, and Trump’s additional 22 points were sufficient to secure victory in that frame.
Cao appeared to regain his form in the fourth frame, demonstrating his capabilities with a long red and a yellow to the right middle, indicating that he was still in the fight.
A remarkable black was succeeded by another sequence of red and black pots, followed by an impressive streak involving the yellow over the left middle, the green, brown, blue, pink, and black. This remarkable run enabled the Chinese player to level the score and prompted a re-spot. Although there was a momentary stumble from Trump on his own black, Cao capitalized on the second attempt, sinking the crucial shot to claim the fourth frame and gain an advantage as the players headed into the interval.
Cao’s performance was characterized by bit and pieces – he did not register a half-century in the contest. However, a series of small contributions proved sufficient to secure the fifth frame and bring him within one frame of Trump.
A magnificent red from Cao, following a superb safety play from Trump, heightened the pressure, but Trump managed to stem the tide and restore a two-frame cushion. In the seventh frame, two reds and a black allowed the Chinese player to momentarily edge in front. However, following additional safety plays, Trump regained control after a mistake from Cao. This left the cue ball at the top end of the table, setting up the world No. 2 for a run at the high-value colors.
A break of 48 was precisely what Trump needed as he cleared the reds and added a blue, putting him a frame away from securing a spot in the final. A 51 break propelled Trump further towards victory, but his momentum was interrupted by a tricky black that just missed the far knuckle. Cao had an opportunity for a comeback, but a black rattled in the jaws, leaving him in need of snookers.
A decisive red down the cushion extinguished any lingering hope for the Chinese player, as he could only watch Trump successfully pot it. Although Cao continued to play on, he ultimately conceded defeat with the score at 69-36.
Last year’s runner-up will return for another showdown, where he will face either Ronnie O’Sullivan, who recently clinched victory in the Masters, or Ding Junhui, the world No. 11.
