Welsh Open: Amateur Daniel Wells shocks world number five Judd Trump
- Published
Judd Trump was beaten by a player outside the world's top 130
Welsh Open 2023 |
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Venue: Venue Cymru, Llandudno Dates:13-19 February |
Coverage: Watch live on BBC Two Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app. |
Amateur Daniel Wells produced a Welsh Open shock by knocking world number five Judd Trump out of the tournament.
The 34-year-old Welshman fought back from 2-0 down to win the next four frames against Masters champion Trump.
Wells could not manage another upset on Thursday as he was beaten at the last-16 stage in Llandudno by Shaun Murphy, who made a maximum 147 break.
"To beat a top player on TV is a massive stepping stone for me," Wells told World Snooker.
Trump wasted a chance to take a 3-0 lead after missing the black off its spot, while Wells made a 101 break to take a 3-2 advantage before securing victory in the next frame.
In the evening session, Murphy was in sparkling form and made the seventh maximum of his career in the third frame of his 4-1 win. He also compiled further breaks of 145, 78 and 66.
The 40-year-old Englishman, who won the Welsh Open title in 2020, is set to earn the £5,000 prize for the highest break of the tournament unless his 147 is matched over the next few days.
Cleaning toilets to upsetting Trump
Neath-born Wells left the professional tier in 2021 to work for his mother in her cleaning business, but is virtually certain to regain his place on the professional tour next season.
Wells said: "When I was off the tour and cleaning toilets, no one was paying my bills.
"It was a shock to me, I realised I have to be more gritty and not give other players too much respect.
"They are all human and if you put anyone under enough pressure they will crack."
Elsewhere, world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan is through to the last eight after three half-century breaks on his way to beating Belgian 18-year-old Ben Mertens 4-0.
O'Sullivan will face Chinese world number 49 Tian Pengfei, who produced another shock by defeating four-time world champion John Higgins 4-1.
Northern Ireland's Mark Allen progressed to a quarter-final encounter against Robert Milkins after beating Luca Brecel 4-2.
World number 12 Jack Lisowski suffered an unexpected 4-1 defeat to China's Yuan Sijun and Welsh interest ended as Jak Jones lost 4-2 against Pang Junxu of China.
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