Trump beats Si to set up Selby Shenzhen clash
Judd Trump beat Si Jiahui 5-2 at the Shenzhen Open to set up a quarter-final with Mark Selby.
The world No. 2 pulled clear after the match was locked at 2-2, winning the final three frames in a row. It was a controlled finish, built on breaks of 80, 71, 53 and 54, according to BBC Sport.
Trump had to work early. Si stayed with him through the first four frames. Then the rhythm changed. Trump took the fifth, then the sixth, then closed out the seventh for the match.
Selby earned his place alongside him with a 5-3 win over Stephen Maguire in the last 16, first to five frames. His highest break was 99, just short of a century break (100 or more points in a single visit).
The four-time world champion is finding form in China again. He won the China Open in August. This run in Shenzhen is the 113th ranking quarter-final of his career, according to WST.
Elsewhere, the draw has served up a repeat of the Crucible final from May. Wu Yize will face Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals.
Wu got there with a 5-3 win over Ricky Walden. Murphy was more comfortable, beating Elliot Slessor 5-1. Their meeting at the World Championship in Sheffield is still fresh. This is the rematch.
Michael Holt produced the sharpest upset of the round. He beat Kyren Wilson 5-2, helped by a break of 126. That took him into his first quarter-final in a ranking event since the UK Championship in 2024.
There were three other decisive results in the last 16. Chris Wakelin beat Neil Robertson 5-2. Yuan Sijun beat Zak Surety 5-2. Jimmy Robertson beat Scott Donaldson 5-0 without dropping a frame.
What makes this stand out is the balance of the quarter-finals. Trump against Selby is attack against patience. Wu against Murphy carries the weight of May. For fans, this means long safety exchanges and sudden bursts of scoring. One loose positional shot could decide each match.
The Shenzhen Open carries a total prize fund of £850,000, according to WST. Trump’s late run against Si suggests his cue arm is tightening at the right time. Selby will test that nerve frame by frame.
