World Snooker Championship 2024 results: Judd Trump beats Hossein Vafaei, Mark Selby trails Joe O’Connor

• By Michael Emons
• BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Updated 1 hour ago

Former world champion Judd Trump moved into the last 16 of this year’s event with a comprehensive 10-5 victory over Iran’s Hossein Vafaei on Sunday.

Trump led 6-3 after Saturday’s first session and breaks of 95, 74 and 89 helped him move into the next round.

He will play Tom Ford who defeated Ricky Walden 10-6 on Sunday evening.

Four-time world champion Mark Selby is in danger of a shock first-round exit after Crucible debutant Joe O’Connor moved into a commanding 7-2 lead.

O’Connor, 30th in the world, only needs three frames to reach the last 16 when the match resumes on Monday.

But there was no threat of a defeat for world number two Trump, looking to win the title for a second time after his success in 2019.

He has won five ranking tournaments this year and defeated world number 19 Vafaei 10-4 in 2022.

Trump almost claimed another 10-4 success, but missed a pink, although he completed the win soon after.

Selby, the 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021 champion, could be another seed to fall after a tough first session against fellow Leicester player and friend O’Connor.

That match will be completed on Monday (14:30 BST) with O’Connor, the only debutant in this year’s tournament, looking to complete a huge victory.

O’Connor was in the audience watching and cheering on Selby for three of his world title wins and described the draw as a “dream”.

The pair shared the first four frames, before breaks of 122, 67, 101, 74 and 61 saw O’Connor win the last five.

Selby lost in last year’s world final and has not been eliminated in the first round since 2018.

Welsh qualifier Jack Jones produced a superb performance to defeat China’s 11th seed Zhang Anda 10-4.

Jones, a quarter-finalist last year, also 44th in the world, had to fight through two qualifying rounds, but led 5-2 after the first session.

“We both suffered from nerves, he missed a few balls and that can get on top of you but I’m happy to get through,” said Jones.

Jones is one of six Welsh players in the competition and could meet compatriot Mark Williams in the last 16, if the three-time world champion beats China’s Si Jiahui.

The first session of the Jones-Zhang match took place on Saturday, but only seven frames could be completed. It was again slow going on Sunday and Jones edged a 37-minute 11th frame to move two from victory.

Zhang made a break of 95, the best in the match, in the 13th frame, but it was not enough to stop Jones.

Ford had lost in the first round on his four previous Crucible appearances but converted a 6-3 first session advantage to see off Walden.

“I’m smiling for a change,” said Ford. “It feels good and I didn’t realize it would feel this good.”

Scotland’s Stephen Maguire, semi-finalist in 2007 and 2012, trailed 5-4 after the first session against 2008 and 2012 runner-up Ali Carter, but turned it around to win 10-7.

“His safety was better than mine but I felt I had to take on balls that I didn’t want to and if I got involved in safety matches he would be too good for me,” said Maguire.

“I’m not just going to go out there and just give it to him. There was a time on Saturday where I felt flat and he was getting on top. I smashed the table, I did it on purpose and I felt better – I would rather go out fighting.”

Ninth seed Carter said: “I didn’t play well and it was a disappointing end to a reasonable season. I found the build-up really tough being 45. I was a contender 15 years ago but now it takes too much out of you so I will stick to the shorter events.

“Stephen is a stinker of a draw. He’s going to be a match for anyone and he wanted to beat me badly. I really don’t want to play snooker for a couple of months.”

Shaun Murphy, the 2005 champion, is 6-3 ahead against China’s Liu Haotianwith Murphy ending the session in style with a break of 111 and that match finishes on Monday (10:00 BST), with the winner playing Maguire.

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