Judd Trump claims fantastic fourth ranking title of the season at the German Masters
Judd Trump secured his fourth ranking title of the season at the 2020 German Masters with a 9-6 victory over Neil Robertson in the final in Berlin.
The world number one continued his incredible spell of success as he became the latest new name on the German Masters trophy at the Tempodrom.
Trump had already claimed the International Championship, World Open and Northern Ireland Open titles and made it four victories from eight ranking tournament appearances this term by denying his fellow box office left-hander.
The pair ended the first session locked level at 4-4, but Trump put his foot to the peddle in the evening session, winning five of the next seven frames to take the £80,000 title.
“When he beat me in the Champion of Champions that was tough, so it’s always nice to win today,” said Trump.
“It was a good game in a different way, the balls went a bit scrappy and there was some high class safety and you really had to earn your chance.
“Neil’s so hard to play, I had to play my best safety just to get a chance. You expect for him to clear up every time he gets in.
“Since Jack [brother] started coming around with me around 14, 15 months ago I’ve won five or six ranking events he’s turned my career around he’s managed to get me back on track, practicing harder than ever.
“It speaks for itself, I owe all my success to him.”
Trump, unbeaten in a ranking final since 2017, took the opening frame with a break of 60, and after Robertson levelled, the reigning World Champion regained the lead with a break of 64.
Robertson replied in style with a clinical break of 120 – the highest of the match – to restore parity, before defying a 71 break from Trump to snatch frame five and lead 3-2.
Robertson followed in with a 77 break to move two clear, but Trump made a 69 break in the next and dominated frame eight by 77 points to nil to square it up at the halfway stage.
The finalists received another standing ovation from a sellout Tempodrom crowd as they emerged for the evening session, and it was Trump who started brightly with breaks of 54 and 75 in moving 6-4 ahead.
Robertson responded with a break of 66 to stay in touch, but a 59 in response from the Bristol ace saw him regain a two-frame cushion.
Trump stretched his lead by dominating frame 13, and though Robertson rallied to clinch the next, Trump got over the line in trademark fashion with a break of 100 to seal a 15th career ranking title.
Robertson was bidding to make it back-to-back European Series titles following his European Masters triumph in Austria a week ago, and admitted: “Unfortunately I couldn’t manage just one more match but Judd played fantastically well.
“From 4-2 up I was looking really good but his safety was awesome, I didn’t really do a lot wrong so you have to give him all the credit in the world.
“The motivation was there today to win back-to-back tournaments but I feel as though Judd deserved it.”
Both players will now head to Cheltenham for the World Grand Prix, which runs from February 3-9.