The electric atmosphere at Alexandra Palace reached a fever pitch on Wednesday afternoon as two former Masters champions, Judd Trump and Ding Junhui, clashed in a much-anticipated first-round encounter at snooker’s most prestigious invitational event. With both players boasting illustrious careers and a history of memorable duels, expectations were sky-high for this best-of-11 frames contest, which would decide who advanced to face Mark Allen in the quarter-finals.
Judd Trump entered the match with something to prove. Despite being a two-time Masters champion—having lifted the Paul Hunter Trophy in 2019 and 2023—Trump had yet to collect a major title in the 2025-2026 season. His campaign had been marked by near-misses, with runner-up finishes at the Northern Ireland Open, UK Championship, and Champion of Champions. The Bristol potter, renowned for his attacking flair, had also undergone significant changes off the table, relocating to Dubai and starting the season with a new cue. While these shifts promised long-term benefits, they had introduced short-term challenges, including uncharacteristic early exits in high-profile events like the Saudi Arabia Masters and International Championship.
On the other side of the table, Ding Junhui arrived with his own set of ambitions and memories. The 38-year-old Chinese star, who made his Masters debut back in 2004, famously became the first Asian player to win the event in 2011. However, his record at Alexandra Palace since then had been mixed, with a semi-final run in 2019 standing out among nine first-round exits. This season, Ding had opted to skip several lower-profile tournaments but still managed to reach the last eight of the UK Championship and capture the International Championship trophy in 2024. His recent quarter-final appearances at the Xi’an Grand Prix, UK Championship, and Shanghai Masters hinted at a resurgence in form.
The head-to-head rivalry between Trump and Ding added an extra layer of intrigue. Heading into this contest, Trump led their meetings 13-9, having won the last four encounters, including a 6-3 victory in the 2025 Masters quarter-finals and a 6-2 triumph in the UK Championship quarter-finals just a month prior. Yet, Ding’s nine wins, including a notable semi-final success at the 2023 UK Championship, proved he was more than capable of upsetting the odds.
As the match got underway at 13:00 GMT, broadcast live on BBC Two and streamed across multiple platforms, fans settled in for what promised to be a tactical and high-quality affair. The opening exchanges were tense, with both players showing their intent. Ding had early opportunities but narrowly missed out on clinching the first frame, overrunning position on the brown and allowing Trump to pounce. According to BBC Two’s live coverage, “Ding Junhui has chances to win the first frame but Judd Trump gets over the line. A decent start from both players but Ding will rue overrunning when trying to get position on the brown and allowing his opponent to pinch that frame.”
Trump’s clinical play soon became the story of the match. As six-time world champion Steve Davis observed on BBC Two, “Pretty clinical. You can’t really do much better than that. He didn’t miss anything easy. Positional play was superb and that made the game look so easy. It wasn’t like his opponent collapsed. Ding had 90% pot success. To destroy a player with that is astonishing.”
Despite the mounting pressure, Ding showed flashes of his renowned break-building ability. He produced a brilliant 98 break to pull a frame back and demonstrated strong safety play throughout the contest. Yet, Trump’s relentless scoring and tactical acumen kept him in the driver’s seat, and he surged to a commanding lead. In one pivotal frame, after a “brilliant long red” from Trump followed by a break of 54, Ding responded with a half-century of his own, winning a safety battle on the yellow to close the gap. But the Englishman’s consistency proved decisive as he continued to rack up frames.
By the mid-session interval, Trump had established a comfortable advantage. Still, Ding refused to go quietly, winning another frame with a composed display. But with the match progressing, Trump’s confidence only grew. After sealing the 6-2 victory, he spoke to BBC Two, saying, “I am comfortable. In the UK I was comfortable. I think everything is fine. I feel confident and have got to a few finals recently and it has taken some good players to stop me. I am full of confidence and hopefully I can go one better this tournament. It’s my favourite tournament to play. The crowds are unbelievable, and I love coming back here. Every game is a belter here, let’s hope the next game is not 6-2.”
The win marked Trump’s seventh consecutive Round of 16 match at the Masters without defeat since 2020 and continued a remarkable run of 6-2 scorelines in this year’s tournament. It also extended his dominance over Ding in recent meetings, underscoring his reputation as one of the sport’s most formidable competitors.
For Ding, the defeat was a bitter pill, especially given his high pot success rate and moments of brilliance. As Steve Davis noted, “Ding has not done a lot wrong but such is the way in top-class play if your opponent is on point. He looked very strong in the first frame and that is something to keep hold of. The longer Judd can keep Ding in his chair, the more chance you’ve got of getting a player to go cold.” Ding’s performance, though not enough on the day, showed he remains a threat at the highest level.
The match also highlighted snooker’s growing accessibility, with live coverage on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, and app, ensuring fans could follow every twist and turn. The “Masters Snooker Extra” program, scheduled for later that night, promised further analysis and highlights for enthusiasts eager to relive the action.
As the dust settled at Alexandra Palace, Trump’s victory set up a tantalizing quarter-final showdown with 2018 Masters champion Mark Allen. With Trump’s form peaking and his confidence soaring, fans and pundits alike are left wondering—could this be the year he adds a third Masters crown to his glittering résumé? One thing’s for sure: the snooker world will be watching closely as the drama continues to unfold in London.
