2024 Northern Ireland Open Snooker: Defending champ Judd Trumps gets off to a quick start

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Judd Trump got his Northern Ireland Open title defence off to a flying start as he whitewashed Ishpreet Singh Chadha 4-0 during the opening day's play at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

World number one Trump made breaks of 72, 65 and 112 during the rapid victory against India's number one, who was a semi-finalist at the recent English Open - the first Home Nations Series event of the season.

This latest success for Trump means he has now won 34 of his last 36 matches in the Northern Ireland Open, and he remains on course to lift The Alex Higgins Trophy for a fifth time.

Trump will meet Matthew Selt in the last 32 after the 2019 Indian Open champion eliminated Lyu Haotian, 4-1.

Elsewhere during the first day of the televised stages, this year's World Championship runner-up Jak Jones registered runs of 88, 84 and 80 in a 4-0 victory over Alexander Ursenbacher.

Jones is currently 15th in the world rankings and is aiming to stay inside the sport's elite bracket to be a seed at the UK Championship and qualify for his first Masters appearance.

Robert Milkins saw off local star Jordan Brown while Zhou Yuelong notched up efforts of 53, 63 and 111 in the final three frames as he came back from 3-1 down to oust Dominic Dale, 4-3.

Although far from his best, 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel scored a much needed win as he pipped He Guoqiang, 4-3.

Coming into this tournament, Brecel is ranked 60th on the provisional end-of-season list, but despite not making a single half-century break during the match, he denied last season's Rookie of the Year He (who racked up contributions of 117, 60 and 69 in the frames he won).

Teenager Stan Moody got the better of Ryan Day in a deciding frame in the last 64 a ranking event for the second time this month.

Moody - who is battling to keep his tour card at the end of this season - levelled up from 2-0 down after making century breaks of 108 and 105 in consecutive frames.

Day went back in front, but the 18-year-old forced it all the way before depositing the decider to set up a round four date with Jones.

Lei Peifan defeated David Gilbert - an opponent over 70 places higher than him in the world rankings - 4-2, while Oliver Lines won his held over first round tie against Q School top-up Joshua Cooper by the same scoreline.

Lines will play Ricky Walden in round two on Monday; Lines’ opening matches were held over to the main venue as his semi-final run at last month’s British Open clashed with when the ‘qualifiers’ were held.

Evening session: Selby and Gary Wilson out, Murphy through

Louis Heathcote recorded one of the most memorable victories of his career, to date, as he shaded Mark Selby, 4-3, on the main match table.

Recent British Open champion Selby was on an eight-match winning on the World Snooker Tour heading into this event, but it was world number 71 and fellow Leicester cueist Heathcote who got the verdict in their first meeting on the professional circuit.

World number 12 Gary Wilson exited the competition at his first hurdle as he was dismissed by Mark Davis, 4-1.

Davis will play former World Champion Stuart Bingham in round four after he got the better of Scott Donaldson by the same outcome.

In an all-Chinese affair, Pang Junxu - who top scored with a 129 - edged Yuan Sijun, 4-3, to arrange a tie with Brecel.

The final result from the opening day at the main venue went to Shaun Murphy, who recovered from 2-0 down to defeat Jiang Jun, 4-2.

Breaks of 78 and 60 helped Jiang establish his lead, but career Triple Crown Murphy strung together four successive frames for the win, aided by runs of 53 and 118 in frames four and five, respectively.

For full details on the 2024 Northern Ireland Open including the draw, results, prize money, schedule and how to watch, please visit our tournament information centre here.

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