Judd Trump was in emphatic form in Belfast to see off Barry Hawkins 4-1 in a thrilling evening session at the Waterfront Hall. The world No. 1 raced into a 2-0 lead before temporarily being pegged back, but made no mistake in wrapping up proceedings with a typically impressive break of 105 to get over the line. He meets Shaun Murphy next in what promises to be a high-quality quarter-final.
Judd Trump sealed a mightily impressive 4-1 victory over Barry Hawkins to breeze into the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Open.
The match got off to a slow start with an intense safety battle, but Trump eventually found an opening when Hawkins rattled the jaws with a plant, allowing the world No. 1 to get his cue arm going.
He needed a couple of chances but a break of 69 eventually helped him seal the opening frame.
Hawkins fought back in the second to establish a 51-point lead, but he was pegged back by a magnificent Trump clearance as he claimed a two-frame advantage.
The Hawkins fightback did come, however, halving the world No. 1’s lead in a scrappy third frame.
Hawkins, who clinched an impressive victory over John Higgins in the previous round, then threatened to level the contest in the fourth.
However, ‘The Hawk’ stumbled with the frame at his mercy to allow Trump a reprieve, and he took it to move within one of victory after another superb clearance.
And he sealed his progression in style, an astonishing clearance of 105 getting him over the line and setting up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash with Shaun Murphy.
Elsewhere, Neil Robertson put on a stunning display to beat Oliver Lines 4-1.
Lines knocked out home favourite Mark Allen in the previous round but was powerless to stop the Australian, who made breaks of 76, 65, 53 and 107 to move into the last eight in Belfast.
There were also wins for English duo Elliot Slessor and Louis Heathcote.
