Judd Trump v Zhao Xintong live stream | Tour Championship Final preview
Zhao aims to complete the Players Series sweep (Credit: Liu Lixin/China News Service/Alamy Live News)
Judd Trump goes head to head with Zhao Xintong on Sunday in what promises to be a blockbuster Tour Championship final in Manchester.
There is plenty at stake when the world number one locks horns with the World champion over the best of 19 frames at the Manchester Central.
In addition to the £150,000 top prize, both players have the opportunity to complete the career Player Series slam.
Zhao, however, can achieve the feat during the same season, having already triumphed at the World Grand Prix and Players Championship.
The Cyclone has been in sparkling form this week, comfortably sweeping aside Chris Wakelin and defending champion John Higgins for the loss of just five frames.
Zhao hit five centuries during his 10-4 win over debutant Wakelin, while he compiled a ton and a further eight breaks over 50 as he condemned Higgins to a 10-1 rout – and what was the joint-heaviest defeat of his career.
The Chinese has gone on to win the last three ranking events in which he has beaten the Scotsman. Not only that, but he boasts a perfect record in ranking finals, having prevailed in all five of his previous showpieces.
Meanwhile, this is the 53rd ranking final in the career of Trump, who is targeting his 32nd title – and fourth in the Players Series.
A winner of two World Grands Prix and the Players Championship during the Series era, the Ace has progressed to his first final at the Tour Championship, where he had not won a match since 2020 prior to this year.
Trump ended his drought by recovering from 4-0 down to beat Mark Allen 10-8, before edging out Shaun Murphy 10-9 in the quarter-finals.
The world number one then put two-time champion Neil Robertson to the sword 10-4, to move within one more win of adding his name to the roll of honour.
Sunday marks the players’ third meeting this season. Trump was a 6-2 winner in the Champion of Champions semi-finals, though Zhao exacted his revenge at the same stage of the Riyadh Season Championship, which he went on to win.
The final breaks off at 1pm BST with the opening eight frames, before resuming at 7pm and playing to a conclusion at the Manchester Central.
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