Trump’s call to combat slow play
JUDD TRUMP called for the introduction of a ‘shot clock’ after his shock Scottish Open semi-final defeat to China’s Cao Yupeng last night.
Cao, 27, reached the first final of his professional career with a 6-4 win at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.
Trump (below) was foxed by his opponent’s slow play and believes action should be taken to tackle the ploy.
The Englishman said: “He made it slow and it was hard to get any rhythm going.
“I can’t see how anyone can play that slow but maybe it is to try and put their opponent off. Maybe for some tournaments a shot clock should be used.”
The win proved to be sweet revenge for world No.67 Cao, who was crushed 6-1 by Trump in the semi-finals of this season’s European Masters.
World No.3 Trump, 28, won that event and was attempting to make his third major final of the campaign.
But from the start his display was littered with errors and Cao pounced to take full advantage, and give himself a chance of the £70,000 first prize today.
Cao surged into a 3-1 lead at the interval and – after Trump had levelled – kicked on to go two up.
Trump clawed a frame back before Cao sealed it.
It marked the end of a spectacular week which saw him make his first career 147 maximum break. Trump dismissed his chances of going all the way.
“I didn’t deserve to win,” he said. “But he can’t win this, he is just not good enough.” War Two – 90,000 at Wembley in April. And the 78,000 who saw him stop Takam at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium was a new world record for an indoor boxing event. Joshua is up against a line-up which includes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, who clinched a fourth drivers’ championship crown, World 10,000m gold-winning athlete Mo Farah and cyclist Chris Froome, who claimed his fourth Tour De France in July.
But Hearn (left), who has guided Joshua since his pro debut after winning 2012 Olympic gold, insists no British sports star is bigger than Joshua right now. He said: “AJ’s was the standout performance in terms of drama on April 29 and I think that will come across when they show the highlights on the night for the SPOTY award. April 29 was on another level