Judd Trump avoids World Championship banana skin with comfortable first round win

Phil HaighPublished Apr 21, 2024, 4:54pm|Updated Apr 21, 2024, 5:02pm

Judd Trump made a very solid start to his World Snooker Championship campaign, handily dismissing the challenge of Hossein Vafaei with a 10-5 win.

The 2019 champion did not really need to hit his brilliant best, but still made a very strong start as he made five half-centuries in the first eight frames as he took a 6-2 lead on Saturday afternoon.

The Iranian may have been wondering how he was that far behind seen as he knocked in a 138 and three half-centuries himself, but lost all the close frames.

The Prince of Persia came back on Sunday firing, knocking in a 74 in the first frame, then taking the next to go within two.

Trump steadied the ship though and began to sail off into the distance, winning the next three on the spin to go 9-4 up before the mid-session interval.

Vafaei was on the right end of a tight frame when they returned, dramatically reducing his deficit on the final pink.

There was far too much to do from there though and Trump got over the line in the next, without a ton to his name, but he won’t mind that as he builds into his Sheffield challenge.

The 34-year-old will return on Thursday to get his second round match against either Tom Ford or Ricky Walden underway.

‘It’s a tough draw, Hossein’s a great player,’ Trump told the BBC. ‘I think first session he would have felt hard done by to be 6-3.

‘I knew I’d have to play well, play solid, but it’s been a good season, I felt confident. He’s a good test, you’ve got to play well to beat him.

‘My safety was good, little bit edgy getting over the line, but I just need to get through that first game and I feel more comfortable.

‘I fancy my chances in this tournament, hopefully I can bring my best as the tournament progresses.’

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