Adam Williams presents his prediction for the Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker match.
The second semi-final in Riyadh brings together Judd Trump and Zhao Xintong – a week ago they already faced each other, and he won convincingly (6:2). The format is different this time: it is only first to four frames. Both players are getting into the rhythm of the season after a slow start, and the trends of recent weeks make this match-up particularly interesting.
Judd Trump
Judd Trump has improved noticeably since he abandoned the new cue that was disrupting his game. In Riyadh he came through the quarter-final comfortably: 4:0 against Mark Williams, with two century breaks and a highest break of 102. His opponent hardly had a chance, scoring just thirteen points in a row across the whole match. He is maintaining a high tempo, gets into the match quickly and hardly makes mistakes in the middle of frames. His main weapon at the moment is the reliability of his first attacking shot and a high conversion rate on 50+ breaks.
Zhao Xintong
Zhao Xintong is in strong form: this is his third semi-final in three weeks. In the quarter-final he defeated Shaun Murphy (4:2), producing four 50+ breaks, including in important frames. His style remains aggressive, with quick assessment of positions and bold decisions. However, he can have lapses against top players, especially when switching from attack to safety play.
Judd Trump vs Zhao Xintong Prediction
Judd Trump comes into the semi-final in more stable and controlled form: the 4:0 win with two centuries underlines the quality of his break-building and the accuracy of his first attacking shot. In a short format it is stability rather than the amount of risk that tends to decide matches, and in this area he has a significant advantage. Zhao Xintong remains dangerous – four 50+ breaks against Shaun Murphy show his high level – but his game against top players often breaks down, especially when the opponent starts to control the tempo. At the moment Trump is playing more simply, faster and with greater confidence, and the difference in consistency of approach should be enough to decide the match in his favour.
