Judd Trump v Yan Bingtao: Players Championship final 2020 preview – Trump eyeing fantastic fifth
Trump is through to his third Champion of Champions final (Photo by PA Images)
Judd Trump aims to secure his fifth ranking title of the season at the Players Championship at the expense of in-form challenger Yan Bingtao in Southport on Sunday.
World number one Trump has enjoyed a sensational season of success, affirming himself as the sport’s hottest property, and is now looking to get his hands on the Players Championship trophy for the second time.
Trump has continued his strong record in this competition, having previously reached four Semi-Finals in addition to his triumph in 2017, and is now odds-on to regain the crown.
The 30-year-old is now just one win away from a record fifth ranking title of the season to follow up his triumphs at the International Championship, World Open, Northern Ireland Open and German Masters.
He is unbeaten in his last seven ranking finals dating back to 2017 and has won 15 of his 24 ranking finals in total.
Trump kick-started his run to the final with a 6-3 win over Shoot-Out champion Michael Holt before defeating John Higgins by the same scoreline.
The mercurial left-hander then recovered from 5-3 down to edge out Stephen Maguire in a thrilling last-frame decider courtesy of a break of 70.
Yan, meanwhile, is appearing in his second ranking final of the season and third in total as he looks to follow up his Riga Masters triumph at the beginning of the campaign.
The 20-year-old is set for a swift return to the world’s top 16 after a brief absence and has underlined his consistency by reaching and surpassing a third consecutive ranking Semi-Final.
The Chinese ace defeated Kyren Wilson 6-2 in Round One before coming through a midnight epic against Joe Perry to sink the final black in the deciding frame.
He then thrashed Welsh Open champion Shaun Murphy 6-1 in Saturday’s Second Semi-Final with two century breaks to his name.
Yan has lost all four of his previous meetings with Trump and has just three frames to show for his efforts.
Trump ran out a 5-1 winner in last year’s German Masters and notably whitewashed Yan 4-0 en route to Northern Ireland Open glory earlier this season.
The 2020 Players Championship final gets underway from 1pm GMT for a total of eight frames before being played to a finish over the best of 19 from 7pm.