Trump 'looking for flights home' before remarkable comeback

Judd Trump has won 28 ranking titles

World number one Judd Trump joked he was checking for flights home before coming back from four frames down to beat Wu Yize 5-4 and reach the last 16 of the inaugural Saudi Arabia Masters.

It looked like China's Wu, 20, was going to end Trump's 28-match unbeaten run in best-of-11 matches, which stretched back to December 2022, as he went into the interval 4-0 up.

But Trump, 35, showed why he ranked top of the pile as he re-emerged to win five frames in a row and progress.

"I was looking at flights home!" Trump told Eurosport afterwards.

"I'm very, very happy with that. That was one of my best wins in the manner of digging in and [having] self belief."

O'Sullivan through but not happy with display

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan progressed more comfortably as he beat Lei Peifan 5-1.

The 48-year-old was in dominant form, recording a break of at least 50 in each of the five frames he won - including two centuries.

But he was not completely happy with his game and at one point switched to taking shots left-handed.

"I haven't had no feel for over two years now, so it's been really difficult to get the enjoyment from it. It's been tough," said O'Sullivan, who next faces Zhang Anda.

"So I decided to just start playing a bit left-handed, because it frees me up a bit. I enjoy playing then. I can actually practice."

Former world champion Stuart Bingham saw off Ding Junhui 5-4 in a nine-frame thriller to reach the last 16, where he will meet Mark Williams.

Australian Neil Robertson, who has not reached a ranking event final in the last two years, produced an impressive display to see off England's Mark Selby 5-3.

Early exits for Allen, Higgins and Carter

World number two Mark Allen, however, exited the tournament as he lost 5-1 to Xiao Guodong of China.

It looked like Allen would also stage a comeback after falling behind 2-0, when he hit a 104 break to take the third frame, but Xiao won the next three to progress.

Former world number one John Higgins was also knocked out as he lost 5-2 to Jimmy Robertson.

Scot Higgins, who has not won a ranking event since the Players Championship in 2021, never recovered from going 3-0 down and must rely on results elsewhere to keep a spot in the world's top 16.

There were also defeats for Ali Carter and Barry Hawkins.

World number 10 Carter was beaten 5-3 by fellow Englishman Elliot Slessor, while 16th-ranked Hawkins lost 5-1 to Scotland's Scott Donaldson.

The Saudi Arabia Masters, which has been given the unofficial title of being the sport's 'fourth major' by organisers, is the biggest ever tournament staged outside the UK.

With a £2.3m prize fund and £500,000 winner's cheque, only the World Championship in Sheffield is comparable.