Trump reaches semi-finals of Northern Ireland Open

Judd Trump is the world's number one player

World number one Judd Trump booked his place in the semi-finals of the Northern Ireland Open with a 5-1 win over Shaun Murphy at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

Trump continued his superb run of form to set up a last-four encounter with Eliott Slessor.

After grinding his way into a 2-1 lead over Murphy, the reigning champion fired off breaks of 128 and 125 to put himself in a commanding position and he secured a comfortable win.

The 35-year-old will face Slessor, who also put in a strong display to defeat Louis Heathcoate 5-1 in Belfast.

Slessor reached the last four of the Welsh Open in 2023 and was a semi-finalist in Belfast in 2017.

Kyren Wilson will face Pang Junxu of China in the other semi-final tie.

On the other side of the draw from Trump and Slessor, world champion Wilson made light work of Welshman Mark Williams to book his own semi-final spot.

The Englishman would triumph 5-1, including a break of 135 in the fourth frame.

"I worked really hard before going out for the match, I had about an hour and a half solid, solo practice and did a lot of long potting with my brother," he told Eurosport.

"They've got to go in against these top players, that's how you get in and, yeah, it kind of puts them on edge a little bit and you have to do that or they'll walk all over you."

He will face Pang Junxu in the last four after the Chinese player won the final two frames to beat Neil Robertson despite trailing three times.

Australian Robertson had led 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3 but a break of 129 in the decider was enough to secure a second victory over a former world champion this week for Junxu who also knocked out Luca Brecel.