Trump defies his ‘atrocious’ record to secure victory

SNOOKER’S Judd Trump overcame his “atrocious” UK Championship record to edge China’s Xiao Guodong in a final-frame decider and also book his place in the last 16.

Despite winning the tournament in 2011 and boasting two subsequent final appearances, Bristol-born Trump has always struggled to deliver his best form in the second biggest tournament of the season.

History looked set to repeat itself as he struggled for long periods against Xiao, the world number 34, nudging in front for the first time in the seventh frame and missing a glorious chance to wrap things up before finally creeping over the line.

“My record here is just atrocious,” Trump told the BBC. “Every game seems to go the same - I come well into the tournament then I go out there and I can’t pot a ball.

“I don’t know what it is. I feel good and I end up messing it up. I’m happy to get through because I love the prestige of this event and I’d have been devastated to be going home after the first game.”

Elsewhere, two-time champion Mark Selby crashed out of the UK Championship after a 6-4 defeat to Iran’s Hossein Vafaei in York.

Selby, the winner of the tournament in 2012 and 2016, struggled to find his rhythm and the 28-year-old Vafaei, who reached a career-best fourth round last year, held his nerve to claim one of his most significant wins.