Judd Trump starts Six Red World Championship with whitewash win, defending champion Stephen Maguire crashes out

ByEurosport

Updated 06/03/2023 at 15:38 GMT

Judd Trump showed his class on the opening day of the Six Red World Championship in Bangkok by coasting to a 5-0 victory against fellow Englishman Ricky Walden to top Group D. Hossein Vafaei is on the cusp of reaching the last 16 knockout stage. He defeated John Higgins 5-1 after earlier beating Poramin Danjirakul 5-2. Stream the Six Red World Championship live and on-demand on discovery+.

The moment Judd Trump sealed the Masters title

Masters champion Judd Trump launched his Six Red World Championship campaign in style on Monday with a 5-0 whitewash of Ricky Walden in Bangkok.

The 2019 world champion with 15 reds showed he means business at the shorter format as he bids to claim the £100,000 first prize at the Thammasat University Convention Centre in Pathum Thani.

He tops Group D after the opening day of the elite invitational event with Chinese teenager Ma Hailong completing a 5-3 win against local player Kritsanut Lertsattayatthorn in the other match in the section.

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Trump has one eye on chasing a second world title in Sheffield next month and admits there is a lot of unpredictability in the sport this season.

"The standard is incredibly tough. I think this season more than ever," he told World Snooker Tour.

"It's probably been the widest open season. I know we say that all the time going into the World Championship, but this one really is.

"There's been a lot of first-time winners and a lot of people you wouldn't expect to be in the top-eight events. It's a bit of carnage going on in the rankings at the moment and that makes for a more interesting end to the season."

Iran's former Shoot Out winner Hossein Vafaei made a strong start to the event with a 5-1 win against 2019 finalist John Higgins 5-1 to lead Group C after earlier beating Poramin Danjirakul 5-2.

Defending champion Stephen Maguire – an 8-6 winner against fellow Scot Higgins four years ago – is out of the event in the group stage after a 5-2 loss to Ding Junhui in his Group A opener was followed by defeat to Zhang Anda by the same scoreline.

'In it goes' - Vafaei pots lovely pink against Higgins

Ding and Zhang both completed 5-2 wins over former women's world champion Mink Nutcharut respectively meaning Maguire or Mink cannot qualify for the last 16 of the event before they meet on Tuesday.

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is due to begin his campaign against Jimmy Robertson at 11:30am GMT on Tuesday.

He has been drawn in Group H alongside Robertson, world junior champion Stan Moody and local Thai favourite James Wattana at the 3,600-seat venue.

The top two from each group progress to the last 16 knockout stage with the final contested on Saturday.

A number of leading figures have opted out of travelling to Thailand with Mark Selby, Mark Allen, Shaun Murphy, Luca Brecel, Ali Carter and Barry Hawkins withdrawing with Robert Milkins, Matthew Selt, Tom Ford, Zhou Yuelong, Joe Perry and Jordan Brown earning spots.