Champion of Champions snooker – Day 5: Judd Trump into the final

Only four players remained in the 2022 Champion of Champions snooker yesterday morning, and the line-up for the first semi-final promised to be a good one. Just one match – Mark Selby facing Judd Trump in another best-of-11 clash. Trump was hoping to defend his title, while Selby was planning to get one step closer to winning the event for the first time. Only one man’s hopes would be realised – here’s what happened when the two met on day five.

The first frame was over in a flash – a good long red was all Trump needed to get started and produce a break of 89. A safety battle in frame two gave Selby the first chance – he potted an excellent long red of his own, but his break ended on 32 after splitting the pack left him nothing. Another safety battle was interrupted by a medical emergency in the crowd, before Selby produced an excellent thin plant to take control. He missed a surprising blue off its spot, but Trump didn’t capitalise, and soon the match was level at 1-1.

Trump had established a 68-point lead and Selby needed snookers to keep the match alive

There was lots of safety and containment in the third frame, with Trump etching out a small lead, but he had a real chance after a Selby safety caught the middle jaw and left him with a red over the pocket. He took it, and compiled a frame-winning break. Both players exhibited nerves at the start of frame four, missing long reds to the bottom right. A bad Trump shot left Selby cuing over the blue with the spider – he attempted a pot, but left it over the pocket. Trump produced a 74, and despite Selby returning to play for snookers, he fouled on the black, and it was 3-1 at the interval.

Selby needed to fight back, and he did – a misjudged roll into the pack gave Selby a red to go at, and he transformed it into a 66 break. A brilliant Trump pot gave him a chance to steal, but he missed a tough blue and Selby made it 3-2. In frame six, Selby established a solid 53 lead in two visits, with the remaining reds awkward along the bottom cushion – Trump fought back, with a bizarre foul on the blue leaving a free ball, and the duo had a safety battle on the last two reds. A Trump error left one over the bottom-left pocket, and another battle ensued over the last red. A re-spot was possible, then Selby missed a yellow, but he fluked the pot on the second escape. Trump fought on, trying to snooker Selby with just pink and black remaining, but the match was soon levelled at 3-3.

It was first chance Selby again in frame seven, but his break ended very early after a forced position shot sent the black literally flying out of the pocket. Trump responded with an 83 to go back into the lead. And in the next frame, he converted an unusually sloppy Selby safety into the first century break of the match, making 114 to move within one of victory. It looked like an easy win as Trump made a long pot to get in among the balls, but he broke down on 28, missing an unexpected blue to right centre. Selby missed the next red, and soon he was caught in a snooker behind the brown – he gave away 22 points before escaping. Trump had established a 68-point lead and Selby needed snookers to keep the match alive – but on his first attempt, he accidentally potted the black, and it was game over.