Judd Trump continued his strong record against John Higgins with a dramatic 6-5 victory to reach the quarter-finals of the UK Championship. The win extended Trump’s dominance over Higgins, making it 12 victories in their last 13 encounters (excluding Championship League matches) and his fifth consecutive win against the four-time world champion.
The match in York was far from a classic, with both players struggling for fluency. Early frames were characterized by scrappy exchanges, with reds clustered and the black ball often out of play. Trump leveled the second frame after Higgins missed a pink attempting a thin safety, while the third frame turned into a 35-minute slog before Trump capitalized on a missed pink by Higgins to edge ahead.
Higgins responded before the interval, taking the fourth frame with a composed break of 39 after Trump missed a straightforward brown. Trump found his rhythm in the fifth, making a fluent break of 111, but an unlucky flick on the green in the sixth allowed Higgins to capitalize with a run of 58 and a safety battle win to level the match at 3-3.
Higgins then showcased his class with a century break of 106 in the seventh, briefly taking the lead. Trump immediately responded with a 69 in the eighth after Higgins narrowly missed a red. The ninth frame saw Higgins falter with poor cue-ball control, gifting Trump the opportunity to produce a decisive 75 to move ahead. Refusing to relent, Higgins forced a decider with a solid 66 in the 10th frame.
In the final frame, Higgins struck first with a break of 30 but failed to benefit from a cluster split, leading to a prolonged tactical battle. The deadlock was broken when Higgins overhit a safety, leaving Trump a challenging shot to the middle pocket. Trump sank it with precision and closed out the frame and match in style, finishing with his second century, a composed 103.
The victory showcased Trump’s resilience under pressure and his ability to seize key moments, setting up an exciting quarter-final clash as his campaign for the UK Championship title continues.
