Ronnie O’Sullivan vs. Judd Trump takes place this afternoon in the final of snooker’s 2014 UK Championship.
The game takes place in York and is scheduled to start at 13:00 GMT.
Where to watch live:
UK:
– BBC 2/BBC 2 HD
Preview:
The two hottest properties on planet snooker collide in a second successive major televised final this afternoon.
The duo have produced moments of sheer brilliance en route to setting up a mouth-watering meeting in the season’s first Triple Crown event, with £150,000 and the prestigious trophy at stake.
The two rivals last met in a major televised final at the Champion of Champions in Coventry less than a month ago, with O’Sullivan claiming a 10-7 victory in an epic contest which included six centuries.
Current form would suggest a repeat of that staggering quality is not beyond question this time around, as the young Bristolian aims to avenge that painful defeat and tear up the script at the Barbican.
Four-time UK Champion O’Sullivan has hit the headlines both on and off the table this week, and after celebrating his 39th birthday with a 147 break – he has proved that like a fine wine – he gets better with age.
The Rocket kick-started his career at the tender age of 17 in this very event back in 1993, and is bidding for a fifth UK crown to end a seven-year drought.
A broken bone he sustained in his ankle while running last week threatened to jeopardise his tournament, but the Chigwell ace has brushed aside that setback and charged to within touching distance of another major triumph.
His magical 13th career maximum in a 6-0 whitewash of Matthew Selt affirmed him as the most prolific break-builder of all-time, and he will be determined to round off a memorable and eventful week by taking the title.
Trump has continued his blistering run of form with a series of impressive victories over the past 12 days, and the 25-year-old has rarely been troubled in cantering to his second final at this venue.
The attacking left-hander has breezed past Aditya Mehta, Fraser Patrick, Rod Lawler, Mark Davis and Stephen Maguire en route to the final, but knows he faces a formidable test like no other in this two-session thriller.
Australian Open Champion Trump will be encouraged by his impressive head-to-head record against the world number four, with the pair having shared six wins apiece prior to O’Sullivan’s recent win at the Champion of Champions.
Trump defeated his nemesis 6-5 en route to glory here in 2011, and while ‘The Rocket’ has dominated many of their high-profile encounters since, the world number 11 will feel he has both the form and belief to overturn the favourite.
Between them, the pair have compiled 12 century breaks in this event and their ultra-attacking styles suggest another break-building master-class could be about to unfold.
The match gets underway at 1.00pm GMT, resuming for the closing session at 7.00pm and will be played over the best of 19 frames from the York Barbican Centre.
(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
What they’ve said ahead of today’s final:
Ronnie O’Sullivan: “Judd has had a great tournament, he’s back to his best and he’s playing very consistently.
“I’ve got away with probably three matches this week and I’ve used up all of my lives!”
Judd Trump: “If he plays like he did in Coventry, I’ll have to play literally perfect snooker.
“He hasn’t played brilliantly all week, but I know he’ll raise his game against me.”
