The Masters - Trump holds off Rocket

Trump is on-fire

Judd Trump becomes the first player to reach this year's Masters semi-finals, after beating Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-2. 

The fresh UK Championship winner played some "naughty" snooker, as he likes to call it, and didn't lose control of the match not even for a second.

Judd Trump and Ronnie O'Sullivan met in the first match of the Masters’ quarter-finals and those who followed the lads can testify that it was a bit of history repeated. 

During the last moths the two gladiators of the green baize have met twice, once in the PTC 9 final and once in the recently ended UK Championship. Both times, Trump prevailed and it seems like the victory he has just obtained today qualifies as a third.

The 22 year-old lad from Bristol practically stormed into the match and hit in breaks of 39, 66, 78 and a wonderful 140 to take the first four frames. O'Sullivan seemed to be doomed to stay in his chair and while he was at the table, a missed black off its spot or a caught brown, were enough to let Judd in.

The Rocket didn't take off

However, after the break, O'Sullivan hit a 67 to win his first frame of the day, but Trump won the very next one, although it was a scrappy affair whose biggest break was a 24 one.

"The Rocket" landed a magnificent 141 break during the 7^th frame, break that was kicking Trump's 140 from earlier on and at this moment qualifies as the highest break of the tournament.

Still, it wasn't going to be enough to win him the match. During the next frame Ronnie lost position on 54, Trump coming for a 65 to seal a 6-2 victory and get a well deserved place in the semi-finals. 

Could we be looking at this year's Masters’ champion?

The day continues with the second quarter-finals match, John Higgins taking on fellow-country Graeme Dott from 7pm (UK time).