MARCO FU won a snooker marathon to knock Judd Trump out of the Dafabet Masters at Alexandra Palace in London on Monday.
Fu, the runner-up in 2011, made a winning break of 78 in the deciding frame to win 6-5 after Trump had missed a difficult black.
It was the latest setback for Trump, who failed to win a trophy in 2013. But Fu, who won the Australian Open earlier this season, was delighted after his four hour, nine minute victory.
“I played well in patches,” Fu said. “It was very scrappy at times and Judd was doing all the scoring. His safety was very good and it felt like every time I came to the table I was getting out of snookers.
“When I got a chance to get amongst the balls I felt good. I did a good break at the end so that was satisfying. I’ve lost quite a few deciding frames this season so it was nice to win one.”
Fu won an epic 55 minute fourth frame on the pink to reach the interval level at 2-2 and stepped in with a 138 total clearance, the highest break of the tournament so far, to win the fifth.
Trump won a scrappier sixth and made 120 in leading 4-3 but was guilty of some unexpected misses as he failed to take control of the match.
Fu edged 5-4 ahead before leaving a red on when escaping from an unsnookered position at his third attempt. Trump made 101 to set up the decider but his missed black – with the cueball close to the side cushion – proved to be his last shot.
“It was a good standard and I think I would have beaten any of the other players but Marco played well today,” Trump said.
“The black [in the decider] was difficult. I probably wouldn’t have been on anything so maybe I shouldn’t have taken it on.
“I felt good but Marco played some really good stuff. His long potting was brilliant. It’s frustrating at the moment because I don’t feel I’m doing that much wrong.”
Fu faces Ding Junhui, who beat him 10-4 in the 2011 Masters final, or Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals.
Photographs by Monique Limbos.