Xi’an Grand Prix: Judd Trump avenges Crucible defeat with win over Jak Jones in last 16, Mark Williams exits v Xu Si

Judd Trump remains on course for back-to-back title wins in China after coasting past Jak Jones 5-1 on Thursday morning to reach the Xi’an Grand Prix quarter-finals.

The Shanghai Masters champion lost 13-9 to world finalist Jones in the Crucible quarter-finals in April, but gained a measure of revenge for that shock defeat on Thursday, with a couple of 50-plus breaks helping him secure a last-eight meeting with David Gilbert or Mark Selby on Friday.

Jones produced a wonderful 136 break to win the third frame, but he could not maintain a consistent level of scoring as he exited the second ranking event of the season a day after edging Jack Lisowski 5-4 in the last 32.

Trump defeated Shaun Murphy 11-5 to claim the invitational Shanghai Masters title last month and has dropped only four frames in his run to the last eight in Xi’an, including a 5-2 qualifying win over Antoni Kowalski in Leicester last month.

Trump needs one more ranking title victory to move above fellow Englishman Steve Davis as the fourth-most prolific winner in the history of the sport.

The 2019 world champion shares fourth spot with six-time world champion Davis on the all-time list with both men on 28 tournament wins, behind Ronnie O’Sullivan (41), Stephen Hendry (36) and John Higgins (31).

Meanwhile, three-time world champion Mark Williams lost the final three frames in a 5-4 defeat to world No. 58 Xu Si.

The Welshman moved 4-2 ahead with breaks of 96, 70 and 86, but watched as Xu dominated the closing stages, with breaks of 77 and 109 helping him secure a meeting with world champion Kyren Wilson or Jimmy Robertson in the last eight.

• Judd Trump 5-1 Jak Jones
• Xu Si 5-4 Mark Williams
• Gong Chenzhi 3-3 Matthew Selt
• Barry Hawkins 3-2 Mark Allen