• The Masters

Trump dumped out of Masters by Fu

ESPN staff
January 13, 2014
Marco Fu has now set up a quarter-final tie with Ding Junhui or Shaun Murphy © Getty Images
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Former world No. 1 Judd Trump crashed out of the 2014 Masters following a 6-5 first round defeat to Marco Fu on Monday.

The pair played out a tense 11-frame match at London's Alexandra Palace, but it was the Hong Kong player who edged the deciding frame with a crucial 78 break under pressure.

Both players shared two scrappy opening frames with neither completing a break of note, before Trump knocked in an impressive 87 to edge ahead. Fu responded to take the next two, which included a marvellous 138 to regain the lead after frame five.

The sixth proved another untidy affair as Trump levelled before producing his first century visit - a 120 break - to move ahead.

Fu responded with a 54 to make it four frames apiece and moved within a frame of victory after edging another scrappy exchange in the ninth frame.

Trump needed something special to stay in the match and found it with another century break, this time a 101 to send the match into a decider.

However, Fu did not buckle under the pressure and made 78 to book his place in the quarter-finals, where he will now face either Ding Junhui or Shaun Murphy.

"It was a bit scrappy, but I played well in patches," Fu told worldsnooker.com. "I felt pretty good among the balls to win the final frame. I expected it to be a deciding frame. I've lost four or five matches on the deciding frame so it is nice to win one in the Masters. It was difficult to get away from Judd in the end.

"Some results didn't go Judd's way at the beginning of the season. It probably affected him a bit, but he is playing a lot better now. He is still good enough to win the tournament when he is not playing well. I expect you will see him come back to his very best form in the next couple of months."

Trump admitted he has been disappointed with his performances in the bigger tournaments but is targeting a quick turnaround in form.

said: "I've gone out early in all the big ones which is very disappointing," Trump said. "There is only the World Championship left, but all the tournaments now are worth winning especially the German Masters next month.

"I'm disappointed as the crowds get a bit rowdy here the longer it goes on, but good luck to Marco. He played very well. It was a good standard. I think if I was playing the players that had won so far, I would probably have got through to the next round. I didn't do a lot wrong today."

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