In a dramatic quarter-final showdown at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, Judd Trump suffered a stunning 13-9 defeat to Jak Jones in the World Championship. Resuming the match at 8-8 overnight, the world number two struggled once again to find his rhythm, as Jones capitalized on the tactical nature of the game to his advantage. Breaks of 87 and 61 propelled Jones into the lead at 11-9, and he clinched a historic victory with an impressive run of 106.
Now, Jak Jones sets his sights on the semi-finals, where he will face either seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan or 2015 winner Stuart Bingham in the best-of-33 encounter. Despite being just his second appearance in the tournament, the 30-year-old, known as the “Silent Assassin,” aims to join the ranks of qualifiers who have claimed the world title, following in the footsteps of Terry Griffiths in 1979 and Shaun Murphy in 2005.
Reflecting on his triumph, Jones expressed his satisfaction with his performance and acknowledged Trump’s struggles during the match. He credited Trump’s initial century for motivating him and capitalized on the shift in momentum to secure the win.
Meanwhile, David Gilbert secured his spot in the last four with a composed 13-8 victory over Stephen Maguire, maintaining his composure despite Maguire’s late resurgence. In another intense encounter, Kyren Wilson holds a 9-7 advantage over four-time champion John Higgins, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion in their quarter-final clash.
