Judd Trump into European Masters 2022 second round after overcoming Noppon Saengkham test in 5-2 win

Judd Trump advanced to the second round of the European Masters with a 5-2 win over Noppon Saengkham.

Trump, a two-time winner of the competition, took the lead before Saengkham drew level at 1-1 with a century break of 103.

It then looked as though Trump would respond with a century of his own, but the world No. 2 saw his break end at 72 – enough to at least regain the lead.

He was then aiming to extend his advantage to 3-1 before the mid-session interval, but a miss while on 55 allowed Saengkham a chance to level the score once more.

And it appeared Saengkham would do just that, but needing the final black to take the frame – which was a few inches off the side cushion – he left it agonisingly over the pocket, with Trump gratefully returning to the table for the simplest of pots to take a two-frame lead.

After the interval, a tight frame was playing out, but in the end Eurosport co-commentator Alan McManus was left praising some “outstanding” shot-play as Trump sunk a long red before a precise shot on the black helped him win the frame.

Saengkham was determined to mount a comeback, given he was hardly playing poorly himself, and a 96 in the sixth frame made it 4-2 to give him an outside chance.

There were opportunities in the next frame, too, but Trump held his nerve to win the frame 73-3 and book a second-round meeting with Ashley Hugill thanks to a 5-2 win.

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