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Judd Trump swept to a commanding 10-4 victory over Neil Robertson but expressed concern about his cue tip as he reached the final of the Tour Championship in Manchester.<\/b><\/p>\n
World number one Trump laid the platform for his success in Friday’s afternoon session which he dominated to establish a 7-1 lead, before finishing the job in the evening.<\/p>\n
Trump, who will be making a first appearance in the final of the event, set the tone with breaks of 87, 94 and 113 as he registered 294 unanswered points in the opening three frames.<\/p>\n
He will face either world champion Zhao Xintong or Scotland’s John Higgins in Sunday’s final which begins at 13:00 BST.<\/p>\n
“I started off well in the first three frames and after that it went a bit downhill so I am pleased to get over the line,” Trump said on 5Action.<\/p>\n
“I have been struggling with my tip for the whole tournament. Somehow I have had a good run and Neil struggled a bit and that was the difference.”<\/p>\n
Armed with his hefty lead, Trump made sure he carried focus into the evening session.<\/p>\n
The Tour Championship launched in 2019 and this is the eighth edition, with Robertson a two-time former winner, so Trump knew he was not to be underestimated.<\/p>\n
“In my eyes Neil loves to win 10-0 so I wanted to beat him 10-1 or give myself something to focus on so he didn’t get back in it,” said the 36-year-old Englishman.<\/p>\n
“At this point you want to beat everyone with the World Championship just around the corner. Whoever I play in the final it will be an amazing game.”<\/p>\n
After Trump built on his brisk start to develop a 6-0 lead, Australia’s Robertson celebrated with the crowd when he won frame seven.<\/p>\n
While Robertson reduced his arrears to 7-3 by winning the first two frames when play resumed in the evening, Trump closed the door on any prospect of a full-scale fightback with runs of 87 and 75 to move 9-3 ahead.<\/p>\n
He then traded frames with his opponent to set up a mouth-watering finale to the tournament against Zhao or reigning champion Higgins, who begin their semi-final at 13:00 BST on Saturday.<\/p>\n
This is the final event for snooker’s elite players before the World Championship begins in Sheffield on 18 April.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n