Players Championship as it happened – Judd Trump plays Chris Wakelin whilst John Higgins faces Ding Junhui on first day

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Ding Junhui 4-4 John Higgins

He finishes with a total clearance of 139, the highest run of the tournament so far. He’s now 13-0 against Chris and meets Tom Ford or Ali Carter next.

“A typical Judd Trump break,” says Fouldsy, full of clever shots and recovery pots. He’s looking strong.

That long frame Judd won for 3-2 looks to have settled this. He’s dominated since, playing nicely thereafter, and this looks like curtains. He’ll want a ton, and there’s no reason to think he’s not getting one.

Judd’s playing alright now and he knocks a starter into left-centre. This isn’t, yet, a chance to finish things, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see it become one – and he soon opens balls.

Ding Junhui 3-4 John Higgins

Somehow, Chris has to convince himself he’s not jiggered when he very obviously is.

Judd accumulates but needs more reds than usual because Chris sent some down to baulk. Still, though, he’s nearly over the line – in frame and match.

Chris gets in, takes on a cut-back black … at pace … and when he misses he leaves claret all over. He’ll do well to get back to the table in this frame.

Ding Junhui 3-3 John Higgins

Judd misses a cut-back black, but he’s two in front and two from home.

And eventually he does, Chris refusing a pot which allows him to steer in a starter, and this is going to be 4-2. Long way back from here.

Judd picks at the loose balls then breaks pack off black … and he’s on one, just, a tight mother into the side. So he ignores to play back to baulk, backing himself to win the ensuing safety exchange.

Judd hasn’t made a fifty yet, but he knocks a nice long starter into right corner, adds a black, and repeats the pattern.

Ding Junhui 3-3 John Higgins

Judd does enough, clearing blue and pink. But can he put his foot down?

Good snooker from Chris and Judd hits second time, finds himself snookered again, hits second time, finds himself snookered again, hits first time.

Chris escapes, finds himself snookered again, and misses twice. Then, he leaves the last red and soon finds himself snookered behind the blue and pink. But have a look! He flukes it via double … but can’t get position on the brown. So he sends it up the table, leaves it over the bag … but with the blue and pink blocking off the white in the diagonally opposite corner. So Judd smacks into the side cushion, bins it – that’s a fantastic pot – and Chris can only tie.

Judd plays a fine shot on the yellow to get on to the penultimate red, but coming in and out of baulk to get into the last, he catches the green, knocking it safe, and doesn’t get position. The chase for it is on, Chris currently snookered.

This is also much better from Judd, who looks more dialled in now than before. He knows a couple of frames won probably finishes it, but the longer he lets Chris stay in the match, the more likely he is to lose it.

Judd’s not played really well for a while and Chris can smell a chance. He builds a useful lead, but then after flicking a red he ponders a tricky cut-back black, muffs it, so the Ace fids a lovely starter to the green. This is a good chance.

I thought Judd might’ve spent the interval on the practice table and maybe he did, because a terrible jump-shot ushers Chris to the table with points readily available.

Ding Junhui 2-1 John Higgins

Chris sees it out, and we’re all square at the interval.

It’s Chris in next and he forces himself in front; he knows he can’t really afford to lose this frame. And after slotting a nice pink, is he on one of the three remaining red? Maybe one to left corner … and yes, he bangs it down nicely. This is really good stuff.

Chris cues right across one and he’s not hitting it nicely at all; luckily for him, neither is Judd.

Oh Chris. A miss allows Judd back to the table … for a red … and we’re back playing safety.

Chirs has a go at one to right corner and misses, Judd clips one just as tough into left-middle. But a dicky black leaves a tricky red, he can’t send it down … and Chris gets away to right, sustaining the break with a double. He doesn’t, though, get a good shite so must send pink long to the yellow … only to leave it in the jaws. Judd, though, misses his starter, meaning another chance for Chris.

Ding Junhui 1-1 John Higgins

I hate to say it, but Chris may have missed his chance.

Chris is a little tentative so ends up having to play safe, two reds left. He’ll have to go some to steal from here, and shonuff he’s soon hanging his head after botching a snookering opportunity; Judd removes another red then lays a snooker of his own, behind the black. Chris needs two of his own, misses, and concedes.

Judd accumulates but before he can make the frame safe he runs out of position. Given the whereabouts of the reds, though, Chris will need to work hard to take it from him … and as I type, he steers a lovely starter into right corner. A black follows, he promotes a red, and this is good work. The lead is 51; there are 59 points remaining.

Too much side and power means Judd has snuggle into the broon, and he plays that shot so well – he almost always gets in tight. Once upon a time he might’ve taken a risk to keep the run going, but now Chris’ escape leaves a dolly and that’ll surely be the frame.

Yeah, Judd in first with a starter to the middle and the way the reds are, you fear for Chris.

Ding Junhui 0-1 John Higgins

Judd gets it done and Chris’ll be annoyed because he knows an improvement is almost inevitable.

Poor safety from Judd but Chris eschews a snick to the green then, when accidentally snookered, first misses twice then misses a nasty pot. This allows Judd to bin the final red, and he’ll surely close out from here.

Chris’ escape hands Judd a chance and a decisive run here would lay down some, but not all, of the the smack. He can’t find one though, soon running out of position … for all the difference it makes He slots another tremendous starter, and could wi the frame from here – especially as he’s just developed a difficult red.

Eesh, Chris finds himself running into the black after rocketing in the brown, plays a poor safety … and misses a mid-distancer he shouldn’t. But when his opponent can’t clear it up, he’s able to sink a red and lay a snooker behind the yellow.

Judd hasn’t got going yet, leaving a simple starter with the black passing to both corners.

Ding Junhui 0-0 John Higgins

Great stuff! A composed clearance of 120 and Chris hits the front!

Down goes the final red and there’s a ton in the offing here.

Nice recovery pot, a pink to right-middle, keeps Chris moving, he moves the black into play by mistake, and the frame is at his mercy.

Chris’ll know this is a massive chance for him, and given his record against Judd, he can’t be passing up the opportunity to go in front. He’s doing nicely so far.

Chris thinks he’s being careful, leaving the white near black cush, so Judd floats a starter into the green bag, opens the pack superbly, and he’s in. But making a black harder than he needas to, he then leaves it over left corner and now Chris can score!

That didn’t take long: re-rack.

Left a dead straight one to left corner, Judd wobbles it down; Chris hasn’t beaten him in 12 attempts, so he’ll fancy himself for this one. But immediately, he jawses a pink and it stays over the bag which could mean a protracted frame.

And, as Rob Walker says, top-quality snooker is back at Telford for the first time since 2010.

Judd Trump v Chris Wakelin

Ding Junhui v John Higgins

And welcome to the Players Championship 2024!