Judd Trump takes a commanding lead against Hossain Vafaei in the first round at World Championship

Judd Trump has made a fine start to his first round match at the 2022 World Championship, producing a 6-3 lead over Iran's Hossein Vafaei. Vafaei has hit the headlines this week after launching a scathing verbal attack on Ronnie O'Sullivan, calling the record 38-time ranking event winner «disrespectful» for his perceived negative attitude to the sport and fellow players. Ad/> But the Iranian was unable to stay close with Trump after the opening session on his Crucible debut on Wednesday afternoon.

Trump and Vafaei will resume their match on Thursday evening from 7pm BST. /> World ChampionshipTrump snookers himself with fluke, gets out of it with delightful escapeAN HOUR AGO Both players got off to a scrappy start but the 2019 world champion was able to quickly move into a 3-0 lead with the third frame proving to be Trump's best of the early stages, sealing it with a break of 110 as Vafaei struggled to get into a rhythm. Vafaei pulled a frame back as he tucked away green, brown, blue and pink to claim his first of the day.

And it was the start of a comeback from the Iranian. After Trump missed a back off the spot, it opened up the reds perfectly for Vafaei who smiled as he reduced the deficit to one frame. Wimbledon confirms ban on Russian and Belarusian players from 2022 'Snooker is too boring' — Vafaei 'still friends' with Ronnie despite 'retire' attack The momentum was with Vafaei, and he was able to level the contest with a break of 99.

But Trump put in a much more considered performance in the seventh frame and was completely dominant with a 56 helping him to a frame lead. Trump was gifted the eighth when Vafaei saw a white spin down a pocket as he tried to chase the snooker, ending the frame. And the session came to