Snooker:Judd Trump booked a place in the China Open final with a comprehensive defeat of Shaun Murphy. The 21-year-old Bristol cueman was too strong for the 2005 world champion at Beijing's Students University Stadium, winning 6-1.
It means he will appear in his first ranking tournament final tomorrow, against the winner of today’s second semi-final between compatriot Mark Selby and home favourite Ding Junhui.
Murphy took control of the first frame before Trump snatched it 58-54 — and the Bristolian doubled his advantage with a break of 64 proving decisive.
Murphy rolled in a 53 in the third to reduce the deficit to 2-1 but Trump won a cagey fourth frame — the longest of the match at more than 27 minutes — to regain his two-frame advantage.
Knocks of 43 and 33 enabled him to go 4-1 ahead without dropping a point and he moved to within a frame of victory after looking like throwing the sixth frame away when he missed a black into a middle pocket — seemingly distracted by sunlight from outside shining like a spotlight on the table.
Staring defeat in the face, Murphy potted a long red impressively to revive hopes — but the break collapsed on 33 when he failed to sink a black in attempting to free up a brown at the baulk end.
Trump kept his nerve, clearing yellow to pink to wrap up the final frame 74-34 - and make sure of a place in the final.