Judd Trump wins third straight ranking title with victory over Chris Wakelin in Northern Ireland Open

Judd Trump joined Ray Reardon, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Ding Junhui as the only players to win three consecutive titles with a 9-3 victory over Chris Wakelin in the final of the Northern Ireland Open.

Trump made a strong start to the opening frame, clearing superbly after a slight stumble midway through. Wakelin had the better of the second frame, taking full advantage of some error-strewn play from Trump to level the match.

A single error was all it took for Wakelin to pounce and clean up the frame with an 87-break.

After a slow start, Wakelin was riding high but Trump replied with some excellent play.

A 51 gave Trump the fourth frame and levelled the match at 2-2 before the first mid-session interval.

Upon the resumption, Trump knocked in a break of 48 but couldn’t close out the frame. Wakelin could have taken advantage, but failed to do so and handed the initiative back to Trump who finished the frame.

He followed that up with a break of 97, threatening to blow the match wide open before the evening session.

At the start of the seventh frame, Trump stumbled and gave Wakelin an opening. The Rugby man left Trump on the baulk cushion before both players swapped poor shots. Trump was the first to pull out of the spell of bad play, and cleaned up the frame to move into a menacing 5-2 lead.

After a decent start, another Wakelin stumble opened the door for Trump and he charged right through it. Trump completed the afternoon session with another superb break of 96 to take a virtually insurmountable 6-2 lead.

Wakelin needed to take the first frame after the resumption of play if he was to stand any realistic chance of pulling off an unlikely comeback.

Unfortunately, he saw a long red bounce out after picking up nine and Trump responded with a super century break.

At 7-2, the result was all but sealed and Trump went up a gear in the 10th, producing exhibition level play on a break of 125 to move within one frame of the title.

Trump opened with 31, but handed over the initiative to Wakelin who produced his best frame of the match to reel in the frame.

One more frame and Wakelin would reach the evening interval, perhaps planting doubt in his opponent’s mind, but Trump was on a mission to end the match there and then. He produced a third century break in four frames, this time 129, to seal a momentous victory.

It was Trump’s 20th consecutive victory, and sealed the £80,000 payday that goes to the tournament victor.