Gibraltar Open Preview : Trump Bids for Title Number Five

Last Updated : 1st March, 2021 By Steve A

VENUE

Milton Keynes

TIME

Monday 1 March 10am to Sunday 7 March

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Live on Eurosport

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Another week and another snooker tournament. This week it's the Gibraltar Open but we're actually in Milton Keynes where most of the tournaments have been held this year. Sunday saw John Higgins roll back the years when beating Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final of the Player's Championship. Both of those players have withdrawn from this tournament that began on Monday 1 March. There's been one big shock on day one as Ding Junhui lost to compatriot Si Jahui in the first round. A lot of interest on day two is the return to the circuit of former world champion Stephen Hendry.

Hendry Makes his Return

Stephen Hendry won the seventh of his world titles in 1999. He retired from the circuit in 2012 after losing to Stephen Maguire in the last eight of the World Championships. A strange decision since in that tournament he made a 147 and beat the defending champion John Higgins. Since then, he's become a commentator and in recent years taken part on the Seniors tour, losing to Jimmy White in the semi-finals of the World Championships. He then decided on making a comeback to the main tour. 

We've had to wait until this week for that comeback to take place. The world number 127 faces Matthew Selt in the first round. Selt is the world number 24 so it's not an easy game for Hendry. If he does win this match, then his likely second round opponent is Barry Hawkins. World champion Judd Trump isn't hopeful of Hendry making a successful comeback and believes he won't win many matches. Selt hasn't had a great season with his best performance being a semi-final in the Championship League. He recently made it to the third round of the Welsh Open, losing to Stephen Maguire 4-2. In a best of seven match, it's vital that Hendry gets off to a good start, if that happens then he could spring a surprise.

Selby Always a Danger

Mark Selby has won two ranking tournaments this season. The former world champion won the first tournament of the season, the European Masters. He also won the Scottish Open (also played in Milton Keynes) an recently lost in the final of the Snooker Shoot-Out. Now he bids for a third title and can be backed to win the fourth quarter of the draw. 

Selby has a decent draw and it doesn't look too tough until the last sixteen when he could face Stuart Bingham. If he gets to the quarter-finals, then possible opponents are Kyren Wilson or Mark Williams. He looks good to win the fourth quarter but to win his half of the draw, a win over world champ Judd Trump may well be required.

 Trump is the Player to Beat

World number one Judd Trump may not be the best friend of Stephen Hendry at present but he can be a pal to those backing him this week. The absence of Higgins and O'Sullivan is going to help him of course. Trump is bidding to win his fifth ranking title of the season. He's already won the English Open, Northern Ireland Open, World Grand Prix and the German Masters. He also won group 4 of the Championship League but hasn't fared so well in the last two ranking tournaments. Trump is the defending champion though rather than sunny Gibraltar, his defence is in Milton Keynes where he's had a lot of success this season.

Last week he lost to Stuart Bingham in a final frame decider. Before that, Trump lost to Hossein Vafaei in the Welsh Open. That ended a run of 28 straight wins in best-of-seven matches. He has a decent draw in this tournament with Mark Allen his likely opponent in the last eight. A semi-final against Mark Selby (or even Stephen Hendry) is going to be tough but if Trump hits form then he should reach the final where possible opponents include Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy.