Judd Trump stunned by Daniel Wells at Welsh Open as amateur claims huge upset victory in Llandudno

Judd Trump’s hopes of a first Welsh Open title were dashed at the hands of Daniel Wells.

It has been a stop-start campaign for a player who can look like a Rolls Royce at his best, but has been producing a passable impression of a diesel estate.

Victory at the Masters was achieved without Trump finding his best form, but there was hope that it would unlock the magic box for the remainder of the season.

That did not prove to be the case, as he was left stunned by Wells at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

He was below his best against Wells, but looked well placed to progress as he led by two frames and was all set to extend the advantage only to miss a black off its spot.

From there, Wells – who does not have professional status after losing his tour card – gained in confidence and closed out a 4-2 win to set up a clash with Shaun Murphy later on Thursday.

The early signs were positive for Trump, as he got in with a long red only to break down with his break on 22. A further run of 16 saw him lose the cue ball on a couple of occasions, and a poor safety handed a chance to his Welsh opponent.

It was a chance he did not take, as he missed the final blue with the frame at his mercy and Trump stepped in to take the opener.

Wells won a protracted safety battle in the second to craft his chance, but he missed a black when in the balls and Trump countered with a 76 to open up a cushion. All seemed to be going to script.

The third was a roller-coaster, with Wells plunging the depths of despair and huge highs.

Wells was in control with a big lead and bossing a safety exchange, but he let Trump wrestle control. When last year’s beaten finalist powered in a tough red along the bottom rail and then took the cue ball around the angles to drop perfectly on the final red, he looked odds-on to clear. But he missed a black off its spot, which allowed Wells to climb from his chair and knock in the colours he needed to cut the gap.

The fourth was a quick-fire affair, as Wells knocked in a break of 67 to get back on level terms, and send the the scriptwriters scrambling for their pens for a redraft.

While Trump looked devoid of confidence, Wells appeared to be brimming with it. A slack safety handed Wells a chance in the fifth – admittedly a tough, long red. He did not flinch, it went in the heart of the pocket and set up a one-visit kill of 101 to get within one frame of the win.

Wells has played a lot of snooker this season, as his amateur status opens up those events to him as well as spots in qualifying for the main tournaments.

When the chance came his way in the sixth, he looked sharp and composed.

He got in after Trump failed in attempting to pot his way out of trouble, and crafted an early advantage.

Wells missed a tough red to give Trump a reprieve, but the world No. 5’s day was summed up with a slack safety.

The underdog shrugged off the earlier miss by crunching in a long red and it set him up to secure one of the biggest wins of his career.

Murphy is up next for Wells and he booked his place in the last 16 in style, wrapping up victory over Anthony McGill with the 600th ton of his career.

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