Saudi Arabia Masters LIVE – Judd Trump defeats Neil Robertson to set up semi-final with Shaun Murphy

The race for the record £500,000 first prize in Saudi Arabia continues at 6pm with Ronnie O’Sullivan taking on Si Jiahui and Mark Williams facing Jimmy Robertson. We will be back with the closing quarter-final matches at 5:45pm.

• Judd Trump 6-3 Neil Robertson 12pm
• Shaun Murphy 6-2 Xiao Guodong 12pm
• Ronnie O’Sullivan v Si Jiahui 6pm
• Mark Williams v Jimmy Robertson 6pm

And the handshake comes from Neil. Judd is through to the final four, and a meeting with Shaun Murphy on Friday. Which should be another thrilling encounter.

An excellent finish from Judd to finish off this match with his long potting a real feature of the victory. Robertson hasn’t played badly today, but just came up against an inspired opponent.

Neil leaves a red over a top bag, doesn’t get cover behind green and another chance for Judd to move nearer the win. Stunning shot on green to develop a red from other end of table. Brilliant. Close to the winning line now.

He will play the winner of this match tomorrow after a 6-2 win over Xiao Guodong. A highest break of only 61, but he wins four straight frames from 2-2.

But he probably overcooks his split on pack before losing position trying to land on black, and Trump unearths a lovely long red. Six reds left up. And they are fairly safe. Still work to be done in this frame as a double fails to trouble pocket.

Trump looking for the one chance that could seal his progress amid a quality safety joust between both men. Robbo tries to roll up behind a red. But doesn’t reach. Judd then inches away from sinking a red along the top cush. So close to a potential frame-winner. Chance then for Neil.

Pressure on Neil to play no-miss snooker, but even that might not be enough. Needs some help from Judd if he is to mount a recovery in Riyadh.

Get the feeling that eighth frame is the pivotal one as Robbo almost cracks in a long red, but doesn’t drop and leaves a red for Judd to get started. Nice shot from brown to red at the top end of table. Every chance of building a decent lead here. But loses the white on 25 trying to land on a red, and just the safety shot to follow.

That was a sublime clearance of 77 from Trump, who is one frame away from the winning post in this match. 4-4 looked certain, but now Robbo needs the remaining three frames to stay alive in this contest.

Judd only chasing yellow, green and brown to lead 5-3…

Well, would you believe that. Robbo with balls at his mercy, but he gets a horrendous kick on blue to green pocket. Blue jumped up, and the break ends on 44. Trump with opportunity to deliver a serious body blow.

• Judd Trump 4-3 Neil Robertson 12pm
• Shaun Murphy 4-2 Xiao Guodong 12pm
• Ronnie O’Sullivan v Si Jiahui 6pm
• Mark Williams v Jimmy Robertson 6pm

Trump attempts a long red, but is well off the potting angle with that effort. And perhaps this match is slowly turning in favour of Robertson, who is suddenly right in stroke after a 101 break. Looking now to restore parity at 4-4. Confidence clearly rising.

Stunning stuff from Robertson. Vintage even as Trump pays a heavy price for his safety blunder. A 101 clearance from the Melbourne man, who is back to 4-3 behind. This match coming to the boil now. Could yet go either way.

Blunder by Judd in trying to play safe by nudging white down to baulk. But he ends going in off with the white as Robbo tucks away a red to accept the invitation with hand on table. Trump with first chance in frame, not taken, and he could pay the price.

Judd missing a green to left middle as the object ball came back out. Wasn’t an easy shot, and it doesn’t drop. An early reprieve for Robertson, but he can only come up with eight in response. Cut on red failing to drop.

Robertson trying to recover ground, but ends up missing a black off the spot chasing snookers off the final red before saying enough is enough. And it will be a 4-2 advantage for Trump. Two away from a semi-final spot on Friday.

A break of 67 for Judd with a possible 67 remaining. Still life yet then in this frame. Judd looking for one more red to put it to bed. And in goes a long red from Trump to surely finish matters off. Heading for a 4-2 lead in the race to six.

Judd inching towards the restoration of his two-frame lead here. Neil with a one-visit hit in the previous frame, and Judd looking to do likewise. Some brilliant pots being picked out by the Bristolian.

What a stunning opening red from Judd. Lovely cut on a red is followed by a fine black to the top right-hand pocket. Trump’s first real chance since the fourth frame when he broke down on 44 and lost the frame.

An excellent 77 from Robertson, and he is right back in the ball game here in the quest to reach the semi-finals in Riyadh on Friday.

Neil producing a fine response in this fifth frame, and looks like this match could be heading back to 3-2 in favour of Trump, who has done little wrong in this frame. Robertson producing a stunning plant, and hasn’t looked back.

Neil with a super plant on reds from distance followed by a cut on a blue. And he drops in another fine cut on a blue to continue the break. The Aussie on the front foot in this vital fifth frame of the day.

• Judd Trump 3-1 Neil Robertson 12pm
• Shaun Murphy 2-2 Xiao Guodong 12pm
• Ronnie O’Sullivan v Si Jiahui 6pm
• Mark Williams v Jimmy Robertson 6pm

Judd with another opportunity to sink the final red. Not taken and Neil puts away red, green and colours to the pink to finally register in this quarter-final. One poor positional shot by Trump leading 44-0 costs him the frame. Which could yet be a huge turning point.

Neil back level at 44-44 before he slots red and black after Judd goes for a long red, but rattles in jaws. Judd then with a chance on final red after Robbo fails to develop the red from side cush. But he again can’t slot the key ball.

Brilliant pot on a red by Neil to yellow pocket. Right down length of table, and suddenly he is presented with chance to launch counter attack. Huge visit to the table in progress in context of this match.

Has been a matchplay masterclass form Judd so far. Keeping Neil cold in his seat, and scoring whenever he gets in. Long game working well, safety game excellent and scoring too. But he is out of position on 44 after overscrewing black. So that is end of break.

Trump looking right in the mood here whenever the chance presents itself. Bangs in another cracking long red after leaving Neil in a tough snooker. All working like a dream so far today.

In goes a fabulous plant on final two reds to continue break before he puts away the final red, black and colours to make a 100 break. The 997th century of his career. Only three short of the 1000 mark for his career. And three frames away from the semi-finals too. Work to be done by Robbo.

Judd well on top at the moment. Dominant from the world No. 1 in controlling matters to move three frames clear. One more frame to come before the mid-session interval.

Two stunning pots from Trump. Long red disappears before he unearths a wonderful shot to slide in a cutback black. And suddenly path is clear for a 3-0 lead in this quarter-final.

Superb long red from Judd to get the party started in this third frame. The Juddernaut warming to the task as he crashes open the reds off black with another brilliant shot. But he then misses a red to left middle when he looked likely to continue his break.

Trump slots red to right middle, and has a poke at blue to yellow pocket. Ends up missing blue. Which somehow races back down the table, and opens up two reds. Robbo bangs in a red, but can’t drop in black needing a snooker. And that is curtains in this frame as he concedes. Judd with a 2-0 lead.

Judd just looking for more red to seal the deal in the second frame. Happy to stay patient, and keep nudging reds into tough places on table.

The cue power of Judd is such a weapon in the modern game. Can really get some movement on the white to fashion ideal position. Black near top cushion, but this already looks like a very decent chance to move 2-0 ahead in this quarter-final.

Robbo goes for a trademark long red, but just rattles the jaws, and Judd makes no mistake with a cracking long red of his own. Off then Judd goes again here.

Safety battle in progress as Judd forced to declare on 40. Vital than Neil doesn’t give up the next scoring chance.

Trump showing off his cue power in this break. Moves the ball in and out baulk with little or no effort. White is already travelling here, but he is back in business. Up quickly to 33.

Robbo goes for a long red, but is well off the potting angle of that one. Sticks up a red for Trump to attack, and he makes no mistake. So chance then for Judd to get hand on table as a black disappears. What is he going to make here?

Down to 23 points then with 18 left on the baize. But there won’t be any more attempts on snookers as Judd clips home a blue to a top pocket. And that will be that. Trump leads Robertson 1-0 in this heavyweight quarter-final.

So down to the colours. Trump not managing to put away this frame. A lead of 24 points with 27 still on table. And Neil produces a fine escape to hit yellow and leave it safe. But a superb shot by Trump snookers his opponent. Neil can’t hit yellow, and that means he needs a snooker. But Trump drills in the yellow as insurance. Two snookers required for Neil.

Brilliant cutback on a red by Robbo to splash open the cluster of reds. Slams home a superb blue to yellow bag, but then misses a mid-range red. And that could be a pivotal moment in this first frame as Trump returns to table. All reds there for the taking.

A stunning piece of cueing from Robertson to drop a red into a right middle pocket. That is a supreme pot from the Aussie. Chance then to get some forward momentum in this opening frame of a possible 11.

Well, perhaps expected him to make a bit more than 28, but Trump out of position in trying to land on a loose red. And that is break over. Which will please Robertson no end.

Early chance for Robbo to get moving, but a red to right middle eludes him after a superb long red-black combo. Trump wastes little time in dropping in his first red of day to a centre pocket.

It is quarter-final day at the Saudi Arabia Masters in Riyadh, and first up today is Judd Trump against Neil Robertson, two former world champions, battling it out for a spot in the semi-finals. The other showpiece match today is Shaun Murphy taking on Xiao Guodong before Ronnie O’Sullivan continues his quest against Si Jiahui at 6pm this evening. Mark Williams meets Jimmy Robertson at the same time. Let’s get the boys on the baize.

• Judd Trump v Neil Robertson 12pm
• Shaun Murphy v Xiao Guodong 12pm
• Ronnie O’Sullivan v Si Jiahui 6pm
• Mark Williams v Jimmy Robertson 6pm