Trump looking good to win first-round match at Crucible

JUDD Trump, the 2019 champion, opened a 6-3 lead at the World Snooker Championship against debutant Hossein Vafaei, the first Iranian player to compete at the Crucible Theatre.

Trump, pictured, has had a mediocre season by his standards, winning just the Turkish Masters and Champion of Champions, and told BBC Sport he has fallen out of love with snooker.

The Bristol-born world number four made 110 to gain a 3-0 lead after which Vafaei settled down to draw level, but, despite being far from fluent, Trump managed runs of 56 and 73 to take control.

The 1991 champion John Parrott said on BBC Two: “It was good to see, that is sign of Judd’s maturity that he tightened up his game and did what he could in the situation to get the best scoreline.”

Seven-time champion Stephen Hendry added: “Judd will be delighted. He was a million miles away from his best but still has a three-frame advantage.”

Four-time champion John Higgins was made to work hard for his 10-7 first round win over Thepchaiya Un-Nooh at the World Championship in Sheffield.

Scot Higgins had fallen 5-4 and 6-5 against Thailand’s Un-Nooh but showed his experience to go through. He faces Belgium’s Luca Brecel or Thai Noppon Saengkham in the next round.

World number six Higgins has been the season’s nearly man, winning the non-ranking Championship League but finishing a beaten finalist in a further five events. This tournament has not been too kind to him either in recent years - he was runner-up in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The 46-year-old had to battle back after trailing at the end of the first session, but managed three century breaks and one of 98.

Higgins said: “I was delighted I was only trailing 5-4. He looked like he was in control.”