English Open 2023 as it happened - Judd Trump fights back to stun John Higgins and reach final

ByEurosport

Updated 07/10/2023 at 16:21 GMT

Judd Trump and John Higgins are set to lock horns in the semi-finals of the English Open on Saturday afternoon at the Brentwood Centre. Higgins beat Martin O'Donnell 5-1 in his quarter-final to set up a showdown with Trump, who overcame Matthew Selt, also 5-1. The match begins at 13:00 UK time, with Zhang Anda and Liu Hongyu contesting the later semi-final, which starts at 19:00.

‘O’Donnell is admiring this’ – Higgins moves into English Open semis with confident win

Studio reaction:

“That was magic,” Jimmy White said to Trump in the Eurosport studio.

English Open

Fu: World rankings count for little after Zhang's English Open heroics

09/10/2023 at 15:44

“I went for my long shots and they were going in and I split the pack and it kept happening,” Trump said.

“It is easy to do it when the pressure is off, but to do it again in the final frame that is when you are proud of yourself.

“I told my brother in the interval that I was feeling tense, and I said I was going to go for it and he told me that is when I play my best.”

John Higgins said: “I have been hit with a truck there. He just started knocking them in.

“At the end, I did not get a sniff. He was flying.

There have been times before when I’ve missed a few balls, but you have to take your hat off for the way he has done it. He was smashing them in off the lampshades.

"He blitzed me at the end, I have no complaints."

Thanks for tuning in.

Trump completes stunning comeback to reach final:

Trump (6) - (5) Higgins

After being frozen out for so long, Higgins misses a long red. Trump steps in and mops up the balls required. Sublime stuff from Trump, bordering on the ridiculous. The pots he missed earlier were so poor, so to come back and reach the final in such fashion was the stuff of dreams.

Lots can be said after Higgins’ failure to get over the line in final frames, but he did nothing wrong as Trump simply picked off stunning pots and blitzed frames. That will not make him feel any better.

Trump on the brink of victory:

Trump 68 (5) - (5) 0 Higgins

Trump gets going and races to 68, but with one ball required he ran out of position. A twist?

Trump knocks in a stunner:

Trump 9 (5) - (5) 0 Higgins

Here we go again. Trump with a stunning red, into the same pocket (bottom left) for the last three frames. He opens the pack.

Stunning stuff as Trump sets up deciding frame:

Trump (5) - (5) Higgins

Brilliant stuff from Trump, as a break of 111, his fifth ton of the tournament, sets up a deciding frame. From nowhere he has found his best form. Higgins has done nothing wrong in the last couple of frames, can he find a reply?

Trump in again and with a spring in his step:

Trump 12 (4) - (5) 0 Higgins

A carbon copy of the previous frame as Trump knocks in a red from distance. The pack splits nicely. He looks like a different player.

Trump cuts the gap, nervous times for Higgins:

Trump (4) - (5) Higgins

Impressive stuff from Trump who picks off a superb break of 88, his best contribution of the day by a distance, to get within one of Higgins. The Scot will be a little twitchy right now.

Trump in again and looking better:

Trump 9 (3) - (5) 0 Higgins

A stunning starter from Trump, a long red with the white welded to the baulk cushion. He opens the pack and is in.

“It is getting very interesting now, it’s coming alive” - Fouldsy.

Trump clears to stay alive:

Trump (3) - (5) Higgins

Trump escapes and after seeing Higgins miss the yellow, he steps up and knocks it in. He produces a stunning shot to develop the brown, and clears to the pink. He’s not playing well, but Trump is hanging on.

Higgins breaks down but plays good snooker:

Trump 55 (2) - (5) 46 Higgins

Higgins picks off the tough reds, but fails to get on the yellow and this frame is in the balance.

Trump breaks down on 50:

Trump 55 (2) - (5) 17 Higgins

Trump makes 50, but overcuts a red to right middle. He’s not been able to produce any sort of consistency today. The table is not easy, but Higgins has a chance to get the frame he needs.

A chance for Trump:

Trump 22 (2) - (5) 1 Higgins

Higgins goes in-off playing safe, and Trump knocks in a long red and a nice cannon gets him on the black. A chance.

Trump fluke in all its glory:

Higgins one frame from victory:

Trump (2) - (5) Higgins

A long red from Trump misses by a distance and it goes over the middle to hand Higgins a starter. The Scot makes no mistake to extend his lead to three frames once again. After the frustration of the previous frame, it’s a settler for Higgins.

Higgins still strong:

Trump 0 (2) - (4) 44 Higgins

Higggins gets in first in the seventh and works a 43-point lead, but the split of the reds is not kind but he pulls off a brilliant long red. He fails to find position but plays a strong safety.

Niggling doubts for Higgins?:

Trump (2) - (4) Higgins

Higgins has been the better player by a distance and remains in control, but it’s well documented that he has struggled to close out big matches in the past couple of years. Are we going to see a repeat?

Fluke of all flukes:

Trump (2) - (4) Higgins

Higgins leaves Trump in a fiendish snooker behind the black. He hits and hopes in targeting the brown. It hits, and he got more than he could have hoped for as he flukes it into the green pocket. Blue ball for the frame and he drains it. From nowhere, Trump has a lifeline.

Infectious mistakes:

Trump 59 (1) - (4) 47 Higgins

A twist. This strange play is catching. Higgins has the frame at his mercy, but goes terribly out of position off the final red. He lays a snooker and knocks in a long yellow but cannot get position from green to brown and the frame is still alive.

When it rains, it pours:

Trump 59 (1) - (4) 12 Higgins

In the blink of an eye, Trump produces a rapid-fire break of 59, but goes in-off attempting to split the pack. And suddenly Trump is back in his seat.

Trump at the table after magical black:

Trump 14 (1) - (4) 8 Higgins

Higgins misses a red to left middle to leave Trump an easy starter, but he runs awfully out of position. He rescues it with a stunning black. Can he find something?

Trump needs to dig deep:

Trump 0 (1) - (4) 8 Higgins

A break-off that was played with little thought from Trump, and Fouldsy says he looks rattled. His mood will not be improved as Higgins knocks in a long red.

Higgins takes three-frame lead:

Trump (1) - (4) Higgins

Trump makes the escape at the second attempt - and then gets a chance to steal the frame as he pots the final red. He needs a black with it, but drops awkward and he fails to make the pot. He flings the ball with his hand in frustration as Higgins extends his lead.

Higgins turns the screw:

Trump 27 (1) - (3) 57 Higgins

Higgins knows not to look gift horses in the mouth, and he moves into a 30-point lead with one red on the table. For good measure he plays an evil snooker. Trump in trouble.

Trump howlers:

Trump 27 (1) - (3) 28 Higgins

Higgins threw all his eggs in one basket with an effort at a tough red, but it did not drop. A terrible shot from Trump sees a near-unmissable red almost stay up. But it left him hopelessly out of position and he missed the blue that followed.

“I don’t believe the last two shots I’ve seen. As bad as I’ve seen him hit a ball” Fouldsy.

Chances passed up by both:

Trump 26 (1) - (3) 21 Higgins

Trumps runs out of position playing a black and we are in a safety battle with two reds towards baulk.

Unlucky Higgins:

Trump 7 (1) - (3) 17 Higgins

Higgins thumps in a black and splits the pack, but watches on as a red trundles into left middle. This is the sort of chance Trump needs to take.

Higgins in again with long red:

Trump 0 (1) - (3) 8 Higgins

An error from Trump as he pushes a red over bottom left in playing safe. Higgins knocks it in and has a chance to make another move.

The push for the winning line:

The players are back in the arena, and Trump has work to do to peg back the Wizard.

Mini-session highlights

John Higgins century

‘Beautiful’ – Higgins opens with a century against Trump

Trump's 'miscue and a half'

Trump makes extraordinary 'miscue and a half' in Higgins semi-final

Higgins extends lead in impressive style:

Trump (1) - (3) Higgins

A 147 was on for a short while, with six reds and blacks. Higgins already holds the high break at 145, so it was not a huge consideration. What was the focus was winning the frame and he got that done with his second century of the match and 960th of his career - a 137. Trump has work to do as the players head for the interval.

Higgins in first in the fourth:

Trump 0 (1) - (2) 8 Higgins

A long red is followed by a superb black with the white tucked under the rail, and this is a chance to craft a handy lead.

Higgins back in front:

Trump (1) - (2) Higgins

Higgins puts Trump in trouble and in using power to escape from the snooker he leaves the red for his opponent and Higgins knocks it in to move back in front. It’s been over 90 minutes for three frames.

Frame is back alive:

Trump 26 (1) - (1) 60 Higgins

Trump gets the snooker he needs and it’s up for grabs again. Higgins is a clear favourite with colours on cushions but it’s stress he’d rather not have.

Higgins in control in the third:

Trump 16 (1) - (1) 60 Higgins

It wasn’t pretty, “tough match play” as Neal Foulds said, but it got the job done as a knock of 53 leaves Trump needing a snooker with two reds on the table.

Higgins with a chance:

Trump 15 (1) - (1) 20 Higgins

Higgins was seething after his mistake gifted the second to Trump, but he has a chance to extinguish it from the memory banks after getting in with a good long red.

Trump with the trick shot no-one wants:

Trump 15 (1) - (1) 7 Higgins

The dreaded misses-pot-and-white-drops-instead moment as Trump’s effort at the black fails to go in and the white goes where the black was supposed to go. No damage done, but a moment of frustration.

Trump’s magic comes to nothing:

Trump 14 (1) - (1) Higgins

A glorious starting long red to bottom left from Trump, but just as he looks set to make a big move he loses position and is forced to run for cover in baulk.

“He’ll be annoyed, as it was a tremendous long red and nothing came from it" - Fouldsy.

Trump’s miscue:

Trump (1) - (1) Higgins

As we wait for the third frame to get established, here’s a look at Trump’s impressive jump shot.

Trump levels up after Higgins howler:

Trump (1) - (1) Higgins

After 44 minutes of effort, Higgins giftwraps the second to Trump with an awful safety. Looking to get the blue on the top cushion, he catches it too thick and leaves an easy pot for Trump who takes that and the pink to level the match.

And on we go:

Trump 54 (0) - (1) 47 Higgins

Higgins goes for a long yellow, it wriggles and stays in the jaws of the bottom right. Trump pots the yellow and does brilliantly to get out and onto the green, but he then runs out of position from brown to blue.

In the balance:

Trump 45 (0) - (1) 47 Higgins

Two points between the pair with the colours remaining. Higgins plays a good safety. This could go either way and would be a big one to win, and lose, after half an hour of time invested.

Wily Higgins forces error:

Trump 45 (0) - (1) 28 Higgins

Higgins breaks a tippy-tappy stalemate by retreating to baulk while leaving Trump a tough tempter. The pot is missed and it’s a chance for Higgins.

Trump mistake:

Trump 35 (0) - (1) 22 Higgins

Trump goes for a red to middle, it never looked on, and he cannoned another ball. It leaves Higgins a chance and although it’s a tough table he can get back in the frame. He makes 18 before breaking down.

Higgins’ opening break:

Trump 35 (0) - (1) 4 Higgins

Second frame could take some time to sort out as reds are welded to cushions, so here’s the break from the first.

A game of hurdles:

Trump 35 (0) - (1) 4 Higgins

Trump ekes out a lead and is looking to play deep screw off a red, but digs too far down and the cue ball hurdles the red. No massive damage (hopefully thats the case with the tip) as Huggins has to play safe.

Chance for Trump:

Trump 14 (0) - (1) Higgins

Good safety play from Trump forces the error from Higgins. It’s not a pretty table, but he has a chance to get some points on the board.

Coughs in the crowd:

Trump 6 (0) - (1) 0 Higgins

A staple of any snooker tournament, and nothing to do with illness. Higggins misses a presentable red to bottom left and it’s Trump’s first chance to get his hand on the table but he runs out of position pretty quickly.

“Quite a misjudgement,” says Fouldsy.

Higgins kicks off with a ton:

Trump (0) - (1) Higgins

It took Higgins some time to find prime position, but he kept picking off balls and a break of 124 secured the first frame. There were some excellent shots, which bodes well for Higgins fans.

“His game is pretty smart at the moment,” Neal Foulds said of Higgins on Eurosport comms. Hard to disagree.

First genuine chance:

Trump 8 (0) - (0) 12 Higgins

A mistake from Trump and with the balls split nicely this is a good chance for Higgins to make a contribution.

Safety exchange:

Trump 8 (0) - (0) 5 Higgins

Cagey start here in Brentwood with a series of safety shots. You get the impression that both know the potting quality of each other. You’d like to think that, given they’ve played each other 29 times - and both are pretty good at potting balls.

Groundhog day:

Trump - Higgins

Higgins misses a red and Trump plays safe, leaving Higgins tight behind the yellow. His roll-up safety is short of pace - almost identical to the shot Trump played a minute or so earlier.

Cracking red from Higgins:

Trump - Higgins

The first pot of the semi-final sees Higgins drain a red from distance, but the cue ball runs too far and it is only a safety - albeit a decent one behind the yellow.

Trump edges the head to head:

Trump has a narrow lead in the battle between the two in tournament play - 15-14 (hat tip to Phil Studd on Eurosport comms for that.

Here we go:

The players are in the arena and ready to join battle. Best of 11 for a place in the final.

Recent meeting was close:

The latest meeting between the two went the way of Judd, who was a 6-5 winner at the European Masters this year. Interestingly, that was also at the semi-final stage. Alan is worried about whether Higgins can get over the line, having lost a few tight ones of late.

Jimmy White sees big morale boost for winner:

“He (Judd) is a better match player all-round, his safety play is so much better. They are both in top form, both looking to win the tournament going into the big UK Championship so it would be a confidence boost for whoever wins.”

Alan McManus is excited for this one:

“In terms of highlights between these two, it is like trying to pick a jewel out of a diamond mind, there are so many great ones.”

Words from the Wizard of Wishaw:

“I am more aggressive than I ever was. Not that I look back on things, but you have got to have a go. I love playing Judd, I love fighting against him and going shot-for-shot with him.”

Judd's thoughts:

“It is nice to be back in the later stages of a tournament. It is a special feeling getting back to the one-table setup.”

Away from the snooker

If snooker is not your thing (seriously, it must be your thing) we have cycling in the form of Il Lombardia while on TNT sports there is Luton against Tottenham in the Premier League

Trump v Higgins - live

Welcome, welcome. This has the makings of a cracker as John Higgins and Judd Trump lock horns in the semi-finals of the English Open at the Brentwood Centre in Essex.

Trump to face Higgins in first semi-final

Judd Trump and John Higgins are set to battle it out for a spot in the English Open final as they contest the first of the semi-finals at the Brentwood Centre in Essex.

2019 world champion Trump booked his spot in the last four courtesy of a 5-1 win over Matthew Selt, and Higgins joined him in the semi-finals with a 5-1 win over Martin O’Donnell.

Trump is chasing his second English Open title, and fifth Home Nations championship; for Higgins, a win in Brentwood would represent a first English Open title and a second Home Nations title.

Zhang Anda and Liu Hongyu will contest the other semi-final.

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