Superb Trump Gains Revenge On Higgins

Judd Trump broke his sequence of losing in finals to John Higgins with a tremendous 4-0 success to win the Victoria Bulgarian Open in Sofia, part of the Betfair European Tour series.
 
Trump lost to Higgins in the final of the Shanghai Masters in September and UKPTC4 last week, as well as the 2001 World Championship. But the 23-year-old from Bristol finally broke the Wizard's spell with a mesmerising display at the end of the first ever professional tournament in Bulgaria.
 
In winning the recent International Championship in China, Trump climbed to number one in the world rankings, and on current form looks determined to become snooker's dominant force.
 
Breaks of 47 and 42 gave him the opening frame tonight and he took the second after Higgins crucially missed the third-last red along the top cushion when just six points behind.
 
Trump potted 11 reds with blacks in frame three, but when a maximum 147 beckoned, he missed the 12th red with the rest. But the left-hander barely minded as he wrapped up victory in the next frame with a run of 63.
 
"I have lost to John a few times recently so I really wanted to beat him," said Trump after capturing the 12,000 Euros top prize as well as 2,000 ranking points. "It was a great atmosphere tonight, the crowd were brilliant and I really felt as if I could play well.
 
"I have been in four finals now this season and I feel as if I can win every tournament I enter, as long as I don't have to play John. I have really enjoyed being in Bulgaria and I hope in the future they can produce some top players."
 
Higgins added: "I had a chance to win the second frame but I missed a red, and that was really the only chance I got. Judd played too well for me this time. I'm looking ahead to the next few tournaments now and hoping to have a good run in the UK Championship.
 
"The fans here have been amazing and it makes me want to come back."
 
On Saturday, Tom Ford made a 147 in his third-round match against Matthew Stevens, earning a £2,500 bonus.
 
The Players Tour Championship is a series of ten events, four in the UK and six on the Betfair European Tour, with the top 25 on the final Order of Merit going through to the Grand Finals in March. They will be joined by seven players from the Asian PTC Order of Merit. The next event is Betfair European Tour event five, the Scottish Open, from December 14-16 in Ravenscraig.
 
Results (Last 16 onwards)
 
Last 16
Jack Lisowski 1-4 Tom Ford
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2-4 Mark Davis
Dave Harold 1-4 Judd Trump
Andrew Higginson 4-2 Anthony McGill
John Higgins 4-2 Liang Wenbo
Li Yan 1-4 Rory McLeod
Jamie Cope 1-4 Ben Woollaston
Marcus Campbell 2-4 Neil Robertson
 
Quarter Finals
Tom Ford 2-4 Mark Davis
Judd Trump 4-0 Andrew Higginson
John Higgins 4-0 Rory McLeod
Ben Woollaston 2-4 Neil Robertson
 
Semi Finals
Mark Davis 2-4 Judd Trump
John Higgins 4-2 Neil Robertson
 
Final
Judd Trump 4-0 John Higgins