Judd Trump edges Neil Robertson in last-frame thriller to claim English Open title
Trump opens his account for the season
Judd Trump came through a thrilling last-frame decider to deny Neil Robertson in the final and claim the 2020 English Open title in Milton Keynes.
The world number one reeled off four consecutive frames from 7-4 down to go in front, and after Robertson forced a decider, Trump produced a trademark century to clinch victory.
Trump has now won his last ten consecutive ranking finals and takes his career tally to 18 ranking titles.
A high quality final at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes saw Robertson produce three centuries to Trump’s one, but it was the Englishman who opened his account for the season.
“It was a real tough final,” admitted Trump. “Most of the game I thought Neil was the better player, he scored a lot heavier than me.
“I think the turning point was the ball at 7-6, I’m not sure if he had a kick but it just seemed to straighten up.
“His break-offs had been unreal, he’d barely left me a ball but in the decider he did leave me one.
“I had to go for it and luckily for me it went in and I made a good break.
“Neil didn’t do that much wrong, I potted some stupid balls at important times which was almost back to my best.
“At no point did I think I was going to win the trophy apart from when I was clearing up in the last frame, I had to go out and earn that one.
“I think that’s probably my toughest final for about five years, apart from when I played Neil in the Champion of Champions.”
The pair ended the first session locked level at four apiece, with Robertson having scored the heavier of the two in the early stages with breaks of 75, 128 and 61.
The Australian hit the ground running in the evening session, firing in consecutive breaks of 56, 75 and 114 to open up a 7-4 advantage.
Trump, though, responded strongly with a break of 76 and notably defied a 65 break from Robertson to snatch a pivotal 14th frame.
A 55 break saw Trump stretch his lead, but only for Robertson to rattle in a thunderous break of 125 to force a fitting decider.
Robertson broke off but was resigned to his seat, just as he had done to his opponent in the previous frame, as Trump compiled a clinical break of 114 to wrap up the title in style.
“My game was there throughout the whole final,” said Robertson.
“In the fact the whole week I played really well and scored fantastically heavy.
“I should have gone 8-6 up but I didn’t really do too much wrong.
“I guess the silver lining is that he didn’t clear up at the end and pinch my high break bonus!
“I didn’t really give it away, Judd earned it.
“We used to kind of cancel each other out but the last three finals we’ve played have been to an amazing standard.”