The International Championship snooker tournament has seen the field whittled down from 64 men to just four over the last five days and now the event is set to conclude in fascinating style as four of the best players in the world battle it for the massive first prize and the title.
The semi-finals of the tournament begin on Friday with both matches being played over the best of 17 frames across two sessions with one semi on Friday and the other on Saturday. Friday’s match is a palatable clash between Ding Junhui and Judd Trump.
Ding Junhui
The Chinese crowds were getting worried in the quarter final when John Higgins took a two frame lead on their man but they needn’t have panicked because Ding won the last six to power to a 6-2 victory with a barrage of heavy scoring and you get the feeling he isn’t done yet in this tournament.
Ding is looking for back to back Chinese titles this weekend after he nailed the Shanghai Masters last month and he looks to be peaking nicely for a real tilt at this one. He knows he is going to have to score in this semi-final but that is the best part of his game.
Judd Trump
There is nobody in the world of snooker playing better stuff than Judd Trump right now. He won the European Masters in final style beating Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final and then he reached the final of the English Open the following week and now he is in the semi-final here.
Despite his decent run recently, Trump was forced to work hard by Shaun Murphy in the quarter final. Trump found himself 5-3 down at one stage but won the last three frames to come through and win 6-5 and book his spot in this semi-final. That sort of win might have him thinking he is invincible at the minute.
Head to Head
There isn’t a lot between these two men on their head to head record. In 13 meetings Ding has seven wins and Trump has six. Ding won their last match which was at the Crucible Theatre earlier this year which Ding built on to make the final of that tournament before losing to Mark Selby.
Betting
I don’t expect there to be a lot between these two when this one draws to a conclusion. Both are excellent players playing close to or at the top of their game and generally when we have two players like that in opposition the margins of separation are minimal. With that in mind I’m not that keen on betting on the winner.
Instead the bet I’m comfortable taking is in the total centuries market where a 2.5 line looks on the low side to me. In the 24 frames Judd Trump has won this week he has built a 100+ break in nine of them while Ding himself is scoring well this week too and banged in a couple of centuries in his win over John Higgins on Thursday.
We know these two are world class scorers and they are in such good form that I fancy three tons between them before the final ball is potted in this one.
Tips
Back Over 2.5 centuries for a 4/10 stake at 2.20 with Paddy Power
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