The remarkable stat ahead of John Higgins v Judd Trump semi-final at European Masters snooker – 'An incredible occasion'
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Updated 26/08/2023 at 10:16 GMT
The latest chapter of the ongoing and epic John Higgins v Judd Trump snooker rivalry will be played out in the European Masters semi-finals in Nuremberg on Saturday afternoon live on Eurosport and Discovery+. There is little to spilt the duo with the career head-to-head meetings a dead heat at 14 wins apiece. Trump has hailed Higgins by admitting: "It is always an incredible occasion against him."
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Judd Trump has paid a glowing tribute to fellow snooker icon John Higgins ahead of their latest fascinating duel at the European Masters semi-final in Nuremberg on Saturday by describing their matches as "some of the best of all time".
The heavy-scoring Higgins and Trump are both performing at peak form with their latest meeting set to be witnessed by a sell-out crowd at the Kia Metropol Arena in the German city (1pm BST live on Eurosport and Discovery+).
“It is always an incredible occasion against him, and always a game I cherish," Trump told reporters on Friday.
Four-time world champion Higgins showed his enduring class by overcoming the sport's form horse Shaun Murphy (5-2) and defending champion Kyren Wilson (5-3) with four centuries in two dominant wins, while Trump enjoyed a century in a 5-0 last-16 whitewash of Ben Woollaston and added another in a 5-1 quarter-final victory over Ashley Carty.
He also reeled off five straight frames from 4-0 down against a dazed Shoot Out winner Chris Wakelin in the last 32, including a closing 100 knock in the final frame.
Trump and Higgins memorably contested two astonishing world finals in 2011 and 2019.
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Higgins claimed his fourth world title with an 18-15 win 12 years ago with Trump avenging that loss by producing some awe-inspiring form in an 18-9 triumph on the second occasion that saw him compile seven centuries with Higgins contributing four.
No other ranking event final has produced 11 centuries in a single match.
Another remarkable stat revolving around their latest meeting is their career head-to-head stats over the past 15 years.
Since the duo first met in the semi-finals of the 2008 Grand Prix in Glasgow – a match won 6-4 by Higgins on his way to claiming the title in his home city with a 9-7 win against Ryan Day – their career head-to-head meetings are level at 14-14 each.
Higgins is priced at 11/10 in the betting markets with Trump a 4/6 favourite to reach the final of the season's second ranking event.
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‘Judd Trump is in PlayStation mode’
"We played each other a couple of weeks ago in China, and it is something I always get up for," said Trump, who overcame Scotland's 31-time ranking event winner with a 5-1 success in the final of a Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association (CBSA) Tour event in Huangguoshu earlier this month.
"The games always seem to be pretty close. Whoever plays their best snooker normally comes out on top, and it is always a great standard.
"Some of the best games I’ve ever been involved with have been against him and probably some of the best of all time. I think he enjoys me and I enjoy playing him."
Last year's European Masters finalist Barry Hawkins will face four-time world champion Mark Selby in the second European Masters semi-final on Saturday night at 7pm live on Eurosport and Discovery+.
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Stream the European Masters and other top snooker action live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
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