TRUMP MAKES IT COUNT
Three in a row for Judd as he beats world champ Ronnie in final thriller
JUDD TRUMP claimed a rare title treble by winning the Northern Ireland Open last night.
The world No.1 beat fierce rival and world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-7 at the temporary Milton Keynes event home.
Trump’s success, which saw him pocket £70,000 and lift the Alex Higgins trophy, means he is the first player for 24 years to win the same tournament three years in a row.
Stephen Hendry won the UK Championship from 1994-96 and also won the World Championship from 1992-96. Steve Davis and Ray Reardon also managed the feat.
It was also the first time the same two players had contested a ranking final for even longer.
That milestone also featured Scot and record seven- time world champion Hendry, who beat Jimmy White in three Crucible finals on the spin from 1992-94.
A hat-trick of wins both in this final and over O’Sullivan in the showpiece saw Trump put down a huge marker in the world’s best player debate.
It was a 19th ranking title for Trump, edging him ahead of Mark Selby and Neil Robertson in the all-time list and behind now only O’Sullivan, Hendry, John Higgins, Steve Davis and Mark Williams.
And the last 11 have come in a rush. When Trump entered this tournament two years ago his tally stood at eight.
He has now won 11 of his last 12 ranking finals and even the one he lost Trump claims “didn’t count” as it was only a shortformat 3- 1 loss in the Championship League to Kyren Wilson.
O’Sullivan began the week by insisting that Lewis Hamilton’s record-equalling seven Formula One world titles meant far less as he was driving a superior car.
He broke wind at the table during a win over Matthew Stevens – trying to blame referee Ben Williams before owning up.
And next he compared the tournament experience at Milton Keynes with coronavirus protocols, testing and a hotel on site as “like a prison”.
And there was more evidence of his poor form yesterday as he refused to concede frames against Trump despite requiring nine and even 10 snookers.
Breaks of 55 and 69 helped see Trump move 3- 1 up. A superb 128 saw Trump go 5-2 up, but O’Sullivan’s 137 topped that to stay in the game.
Trump then surged clear in the evening, going 7-3 ahead with breaks of 89 and 55 before O’Sullivan dug in to ensure there would be a mid-session interval and closing to 7-5.
Trump put in a 115 to stand on the brink. O’Sullivan closed the gap but had left it too late.