Northern Ireland Open snooker 2020 – Judd Trump fights back to defeat Luca Brecel in final frame

ByEurosport

Updated 19/11/2020 at 18:19 GMT

World number one and defending Northern Ireland Open champion Judd Trump came back to defeat Luca Brecel, who produced a plucky performance at the Marshall Arena, and seal his place in the next round. Watch the Northern Ireland Open live on Eurosport all week, as Trump targets a third successive title.

Judd Trump

Image credit: Getty Images

Judd Trump is through to the fourth round of the Northern Ireland Open having come back from 3-2 down to win 4-3 against Luca Brecel in Milton Keynes.

Trump, who secured the fifth maximum break of his career when he knocked in a superb 147 in the second round against Gao Yang, got off to a fast start.

Having opened up with a fantastic red, Trump cleared the table to take the first frame.

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Brecel, who knocked out Kacper Filipiak in the first round, pulled it back, though, on the final black to end a scrappy frame. Into the third and Brecel forced Trump into missing a red and took the frame with a run of 68 proving enough.

'Calamitous error' helps Trump avoid Brecel upset

The fourth frame was a cagey affair with Brecel visibly angry at a miscue. Trump fluked a brown to escape a snooker and took it with 105. Brecel then regained control with a break of 67 in the fifth. He was left an easy red by Trump, who then required snookers.

And with the world number one and defending champion running the risk of heading for the exit door, he delivered the sixth frame with a fine break of 83 to force a decider.

It concluded with Brecel producing an awful safety which gave Trump, on the hunt for his 19th title, the opportunity to clear up to the blue. He did so, scraping his way to the finish line.