Judd Trump fights back against Ronnie O’Sullivan to keep World Snooker Championship final alive

The World Snooker Championship final is very much alive after a superb third session for Judd Trump saw him cut his deficit to 14-11 against Ronnie O’Sullivan.

The Rocket had held a 12-5 lead overnight after a really poor Sunday for Trump, but the 32-year-old turned things around impressively on Monday afternoon.

The Ace claimed the first three frames of the day, with breaks of 107 and 59 along the way, before O’Sullivan stopped the rot with a half-century of his own.

Trump looked much more confident and relaxed than yesterday and took the next two, before O’Sullivan again got a half-century on the board to take the 24th.

The final frame of the session seemed to have great importance and thanks to a very fortunate fluke, Trump got in the balls again and rustled up another century to get back within three frames of the favourite at 14-11 down.

That century break in the final frame (105) of the session was the 108th of the event, equalling the record for tons in a World Championship, set last year.

There had been concerns that there might not be an evening session on Monday after O’Sullivan’s dominance on Sunday, but it is now set to be a tense affair with Trump very much in contention for a second world title.

The Ace has kept the Rocket cold for much of Monday so far, meaning that even when he has had chances he has been short of rhythm and fluency.

There has also been a turn in the luck, with the 46-year-old enjoying much of it on Sunday, but Judd getting the run of the balls in the third session.

The pair will return at 7pm at the Crucible in a race to 18 frames for the world title.

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