Judd Trump made to wait for quarter-final spot after Shaun Murphy fightback at The Crucible

JUDD TRUMP held off a spirited fightback from Shaun Murphy to reach the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship at The Crucible.

Trump began the final session of the second-round clash of former champions with a 10-6 lead and moved to within one frame of victory with the aid of breaks of 63 and 86.

Murphy dug deep to win the next two frames with breaks of 88 and 72 to at least reach the mid-session interval and carried on where he left off when play resumed, breaks of 112 and 99 reducing his deficit to 12-10.

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The Masters champion also got in with a superb long red in frame 23 but, after also potting the blue, missed a red to the corner and Trump stepped in with a break of 58 which effectively secured a hard-fought 13-10 win.

PUSHING THROUGH: Judd Trump on his way to a 13-10 victory against Shaun Murphy at The Crucible in Sheffield . Picture: Danny Lawson/PAPUSHING THROUGH: Judd Trump on his way to a 13-10 victory against Shaun Murphy at The Crucible in Sheffield . Picture: Danny Lawson/PA
PUSHING THROUGH: Judd Trump on his way to a 13-10 victory against Shaun Murphy at The Crucible in Sheffield . Picture: Danny Lawson/PA

“Shaun was in a world of his own for them four or five frames,” said Trump.

“I was a little bit worried but I just had to back myself in that last frame to put a nice stroke on that first red and get in.

“By the time it’s got to 12-10, you’re probably starting to think the worst. The way he was potting the balls as well… Shaun when he gets the support around him absolutely loves it.”

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Murphy refused to be too downhearted by the defeat, saying: “Frankly it’s the best I’ve ever played at the Championship and lost.

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - APRIL 28: Shaun Murphy of England plays a shot against Judd Trump of England during the second round match on day ten of the Halo World Snooker Championship 2025 at Crucible Theatre on April 28, 2025 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - APRIL 28: Shaun Murphy of England plays a shot against Judd Trump of England during the second round match on day ten of the Halo World Snooker Championship 2025 at Crucible Theatre on April 28, 2025 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - APRIL 28: Shaun Murphy of England plays a shot against Judd Trump of England during the second round match on day ten of the Halo World Snooker Championship 2025 at Crucible Theatre on April 28, 2025 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

“I can’t really criticise myself too much. I came up against the world No 1, the best player on the planet, playing really well.

“All I can do is praise him – he played fantastically well and we’ll have to go again.”

Trump will face either Luca Brecel or Ding Junhui in the last eight, with Brecel needing just one frame in the evening session to advance.

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Si Jiahui sealed his place in his second Crucible quarter-final after holding off spirited qualifier Ben Woollaston to seal a keenly-fought 13-10 victory.

The Chinese player, who reached the last four on his debut two years ago, started the final session with a two-frame lead but was dragged back level at 10-10 before reeling off three in a row – including a break of 126 in the penultimate frame – to set up a likely last-eight clash with Ronnie O’Sullivan.

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