Xiao’s streak concluded at the Hong Kong Snooker World Grand Prix, with Murphy also reaching the semifinals.
Judd Trump delivered an impressive display to secure a place in the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix snooker tournament held in Hong Kong on Friday. As the top seed and a local resident, Trump dominated his match against Hossein Vafaei, starting with a remarkable 145-point break, the highest of the event thus far. This was followed by two additional century breaks, leading to a decisive 5-0 win capped off with a 146-point finish, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
Although the crowd at the 5,300-seat Kai Tak Arena was estimated to be a modest 700 according to The Post, the reaction Trump elicited was exactly what the organizers had hoped for. “It was a fantastic crowd and an excellent venue,” Trump remarked. “Performing like that in front of a Hong Kong audience made it a memorable match.”
Reflecting on his performance, Trump noted, “I hardly made any mistakes, which makes it even more rewarding to play so well on major stages. It’s satisfying to have this victory, but there are still potentially two challenging matches ahead.”