Mertens Conquers Magician

Belgian 18-year-old Ben Mertens secured a superb 5-2 win over 2005 World Champion Shaun Murphy to make the final stages of the Wuhan Open.

World number 72Mertens first showcased his talent in 2020 when he became the youngest player to win a match at the World Championship, aged 15. Liam Davies has since eclipsed that record.

Mertens has enjoyed a strong start to this season, having made the last 32 of the BetVictor European Masters and qualified for the Cazoo British Open, after a win over Louis Heathcote.

Mertens made a break of 117 on his way to taking the first two frames this evening. Murphy hit back with two on the bounce to restore parity at 2-2, but it was Mertens who made a crucial burst for the finish. Contributions of 57, 70 and 65 saw him emerge a 5-2 victor.

Judd Trump earned his place in Wuhan with a comprehensive 5-1 win over Germany’s Lukas Kleckers. The 2019 World Champion fired in breaks of 87, 57,82 and 79.

Welshman Daniel Wells defeated compatriot Matthew Stevens 5-1 to seal his qualification, while Graeme Dott beat Belgian Julien Leclercq 5-3 in a hard fought contest.