Trump edges out Australia's Robertson in Masters

Judd Trump advanced into the semi-finals of the Masters tournament with a century break in the final frame of a 6-5 win over Australia's Neil Robertson at London's Alexandra Palace on Friday. Trump sprinted into a 2-0 lead, including a break of 104, only for left-hander Robertson to then make it 2-2, his break of 139 levelling the match. The Englishman then went 4-2 up only for Robertson, the 2010 world champion, to draw all square at 4-4 courtesy of breaks of 100 and 74. Both Trump and Robertson, who won last year's UK Championship and took the Masters title in 2012, then won a frame each to set up a decider. Trump, the winner of the UK Championship in 2011 and like Robertson a former world number one, then seized his chance with a break of 129 that owed much to an excellent opening red. He will now play Barry Hawkins in an all-English semi-final. "In the first round I was really nervous. I was looking for form and while I knew I was playing well, Neil kept coming back at me," Trump told BBC Sport. "As soon as that opening red in the final frame went in I thought 'don't mess up'. "If ever I'm the underdog I seem to play well and whenever I'm the favourite I put too much pressure on myself. Knowing me I could go out and play terribly in the next round. "I'm 26 now and it's about time I started winning titles. I've proved a lot to myself and, hopefully, I can keep it up. For me, that was a big win." In the day's other quarter-final, Stuart Bingham defeated John Higgins 6-3 to book his first appearance in the Masters last four. Bingham raced 5-2 ahead against the three-time Masters champion and held his nerve after dropping the next frame to set up a showdown with Ronnie O'Sullivan for a place in the final.