Judd Trump became the second youngest player to reach the World Championship final with a breathtaking 17-15 win over Ding Junhui at The Crucible.
China’s Ding produced three centuries and led 10-7, but the fireworks of the 21-year-old qualifier proved too much.
Resuming at 12-12, Trump went ahead with breaks of 74 and 89, but the world number four fired in a 138 and 119.
Ding kept battling but the spiky-haired Bristolian won three successive frames, a 105 break sealing a famous victory.
It was a match that thoroughly deserved its standing ovation, but it was the Trump family, who have watched and nurtured this young talent over the last 14 years, who were punching the air with delight inside a raucous Crucible theatre.
Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry is the only player younger than Trump to have reached the final [the Scot was 21 and four months in 1990, while Trump is 21 and nine months].
He also joins a small band of five players to have progressed beyond the World semi-finals as qualifiers (Terry Griffiths, Shaun Murphy, Graeme Dott and Mark Selby are the others.)
“To get to the final with my family and friends is a tremendous achievement,” a beaming Trump said. “I’m speechless and I need to go away and think about it before it sinks in.”
Having already disposed of the defending champion Neil Robertson and 2006 champion Dott, Trump’s progression has been nothing short of astonishing, but to many, not that surprising considering his win at the China Open four weeks ago.
