Judd Trump could well be the man to beat in China as he is yet to lose a frame after three matches in the Shanghai Masters. The Bristolian overcame world number 59 Alfred Burden 5-0 in his opener and then downed Ben Woollaston by the same score in his second round match. Trump would have expected a sterner test against world number 20 Stephen Maguire, who reached the final of the Riga Masters earlier this year.
Maguire had a point to prove as well after losing 6-0 to Trump in their last meeting in the China Open last year but he had no answer to the former world number one. Trump, now ranked as the world number three, won the European Championship earlier this season and looks in sensational form as he bids for a second ranking title of the year. The 28-year-old faces a tough quarter-final draw, however, as he comes up against Luca Brecel – the last man to beat him.
Belgian Brecel claimed a 4-0 win over Trump in the Champion of Champions event earlier this month immediately before the Shanghai Masters began and also won his first two matches in China 5-0, before being taken to a decider by Graeme Dott in his third round match. Trump is 4/9 to claim the win or 11/1 to keep his streak going with another 5-0 victory, while Brecel is 7/4.
Snooker odds available at Dafabet.