World number one Judd Trump scored an emphatic 6-0 whitewash defeat of Elliot Slessor to reach the final of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open and set up a mouth- watering meeting with World Champion and world number two Kyren Wilson.
The Ace in the Pack is aiming to capture the Alex Higgins Trophy for a record extending fifth time. He’s the defending champion after last year’s final win over Chris Wakelin. Trump has also beaten Ronnie O’Sullivan in three consecutive title matches between 2018 and 2020.
Tomorrow sees a continuation of 2019 World Champion Trump’s rivalry with current Crucible king Wilson. The pair met in this season’s Xi’an Grand Prix final, with Wilson prevailing. However, the head-to-head record stands at 12-9 in Trump’s favour.
The title match will be contested over the best of 17 frames, with a top prize of £100,000 on the line. Trump is bidding for his 30th career ranking crown, while Wilson is gunning for an eighth.
The heavy loss for Slessor sees him depart at the last four in Belfast for a second time. He made the semis here in 2017, losing out to Mark Williams. The Gateshead cueman has now appeared in four ranking semi-finals, but is still seeking his first appearance in a final.
This evening’s one-sided contest lasted just over an hour and a half. Trump crafted runs of 78, 61 and 90 on his way to victory, to secure a comfortable evening and early night ahead of tomorrow’s blockbuster showdown with Wilson.
“No game is ever easy, but the damage was done at the start. Going 4-0 up, it was going to be tough for him to come back from there. I’m pleased with how I started the game. A few mistakes at the end. It is always tricky to keep your composure, but to be through to another final is nice,” said 35-year-old Trump.
“It is a great match up with Kyren. Over the next ten years, with his hunger and my hunger, we are going to be meeting a lot. It’s nice to have someone pushing me and going away to give their all every single time. It is good to have that kind of rivalry when you reach the top and we are both really enjoying it.
“I think he has improved a lot. From where he was a couple of years ago he has gone to another level. Him playing a lot faster has helped. He was very methodical, but he now looks like he enjoys what he’s doing.
“You can see a difference in him. The way he walks round the table is different. I had the same thing as well. It is nice to see someone who has become World Champion go away and really work at it.”