Ronnie O’Sullivan stopped German Masters clash as he and Shaun Murphy respected Judd Trump
Ronnie O’Sullivan stopped German Masters clash as he and Shaun Murphy respected Judd Trump
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Ronnie O'Sullivan once halted play at the German Masters to marvel at Judd Trump's potting prowess as the latter pulled off a stunning 147 on the adjacent table. The Rocket has now missed three consecutive trips to the Tempodrom, having withdrawn from the 2025 tournament - which he has won once in 2012 while also claiming the ranking German Open crown in 1996 - due to medical reasons. While O'Sullivan was absent in Berlin this year after also pulling out of the Masters, Trump was there, aiming to defend his title. However, his ambitions were thwarted by an on-fire Neil Robertson, who knocked him out in the round of 16.
It's now been a decade since a memorable moment between Trump and O'Sullivan when the Ace in the Pack's brilliance compelled the seven-time world champion to pause his game and watch in admiration. Both O'Sullivan and Trump had breezed their way into the quarter-finals in the German capital. The Rocket had effortlessly dispatched Mark Davis and Joe Perry with scores of 5-1 and 5-0 respectively, while his fellow countryman overcame Anthony McGill and vanquished Peter Ebdon.
O'Sullivan was set to face a formidable opponent in Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals, while Trump also had a challenging match against Mark Selby. As O'Sullivan and Murphy's match progressed, Murphy took a 2-1 lead into the fourth frame. However, it was The Rocket who came out strong, with his precise potting leading him to a century break. Yet, it wasn't his own game that held his attention for most of the time.
Across the arena, Trump and Selby were engaged in an equally thrilling match. With the score leaning 3-1 in Selby's favour, Trump started building towards a maximum break, drawing the attention of everyone present, including O'Sullivan. Despite O'Sullivan himself eventually scoring a stunning 134, all eyes remained on Trump as he continued to pot ball after ball, reaching the colours. The entire venue watched in awe, including O'Sullivan, cue in hand.
Trump masterfully cleared the pack to pot the black, earning applause from all spectators. O'Sullivan, having paused his own game to witness the maximum, showed his respect before resuming his frame. Meanwhile, his opponent, Murphy, also enjoyed the spectacle from the other table while seated. Despite Trump's 147 and O'Sullivan's 134, neither would progress beyond the quarter-finals. Their conquerors, Murphy and Selby, would go on to face each other in the final, with Selby emerging victorious with a 9-7 win.
