Judd Trump bowed out in dramatic fashion to John Higgins on Wednesday in the quarter-finals of the Betfred World Snooker Championships - and so did Chinese no 1 Ding Junhui.
The Ace in the Pack, Trump, lost in a thrilling final frame decider as the Wizard of Wishaw Higgins, as he is nicknamed, who came from 11 - 9 behind to win 13 - 12. But the talking point of the match was indeed in the 20th frame when Trump stole the frame on the pink and the black to take a two frame lead into the mid-session interval.
He let out a small fist pump - something which came back to haunt him as pundits on Eurosport said it was a bit premature to be doing when there was still a long way to go in the match.
But it's not the first time Trump likes to clench his fists, watch this video below...
Trump's trademark fist pump
And that was what happened, Higgins came fighting back winning the next three frames including an amazing 134 to take it to the decider. Higgins said after the match when he bows out of snooker, Judd Trump will definitely win a World title.
He praised the Bristol man for his immense talent - despite Trump losing a two frame lead. At the time of writing this, Higgins still holds the high break of 146 - and, is in the semi-finals seeking to win a fifth World title, seven years after winning a fourth.
His first came in 1998.
Disappointment for Ding
It never rains but it pours for Ding Junhui.
In 2016, the Chinese no 1 was a runner-up to Mark Selby. 2017, the 31-year-old from Yushan lost dramatically to yet again the Jester from Leicester Mark Selby in the semi-finals.
And, this time, in 2018, the man they call the "Yorkshire Dragon" because he is a resident of the UK in Sheffield and has become popular with the UK snooker fans bowed out of the tournament in the quarter-finals.
His trademark trait when he is not in the right frame of mind is to slop in his seat and resign to defeat. Ding was billed as the favourite because he was the highest-ranking player left in the event, but he was comprehensively defeated 13 - 5 by a confident and assured Barry Hawkins - who has his own great record at the Crucible in the World Championship.
Ding has won one ranking title in all this season, the World Open. But earlier on in the year, he got hammered by Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final of the World Grand Prix.
Hawkins, a runner-up to Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2013 in the World Championship, is on the whole underestimated, but, underestimate him at your peril. The Hawk, as he is nicknamed, is a dangerous snooker animal when he is on his game and has, though, yet come up short in both the Masters and the World Championships where he has both lost out to the five-times World Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.
But, make no mistake, this is the year that could see the Hawk have his hands on the trophy that has been won seven times by greats such as Stephen Hendry and six times by Steve Davis and Ray Reardon.
Kyren Wilson is the other semi-finalist who will be appearing in his first ever World Championship semi-final. He exacted sweet revenge over the Pistol Mark Allen 13 - 6 who had beaten him in the Masters earlier on in January and it was a comprehensive win from the Warrior in Sheffield who produced an awesome display in the second session to kill off the match and lead 11 - 5.
Mark Williams and John Higgins both turned pro in 1992 and, 26 years on from winning a combined total of 6 World titles, are now appearing in yet another World Championship semi-final. Indeed, Williams, 15 years on is seeking World title no 3 and Higgins is seeking a fifth.
What makes it more incredible is Williams before this season hadn't won a ranking title since 2011.
And in the space of a season has captured two ranking titles and one non-ranking title in the World Six Reds Championship.
- Semi-finals are a best of 33 frames, first to 17 and the line up is:
- Barry Hawkins v Mark Williams
- Kyren Wilson v John Higgins
The big talking point, however, will be how long before Judd Trump and indeed Ding manage to get their hands on the World trophy?
They've both been in the final and can be aptly called the nearly-nearly men of World Championship Snooker. At present, you could say they are the two best players in modern snooker to have never won a World title.
