Trump, Allen bow out early at Wuxi Classic

Judd Trump and Mark Allen were shock first-round casualties at the opening ranking event of the season, China’s Wuxi Classic.

World number three Trump was beaten 5-2 by home player Li Hang, who earned his return to the pro ranks with a run to the final of last season’s third Asian Players Tour Championship event.

Li played fluently to take a deserved 3-0 lead with breaks of 62, 54 and 62 and though the Bristolian pulled two frames back, that was as far as his comeback got.

Li took a two-frame lead once more after coming from behind in frame six and a break of 67 helped him take the next. Trump got one of the two snookers he required but an awful safety double-kissed the final red over a pocket and Li wrapped up victory.

The 22-year-old’s most notable scalps previously came at the 2011 China Open, where he beat Ken Doherty and Graeme Dott before losing 5-4 to a third world champion in Shaun Murphy.

Allen followed Trump out of the tournament after losing a hard-fought encounter against Peter Lines.

Allen trailed 3-2 and 4-3 but took a long and low-quality eighth frame by potting the yellow and green at separate visits to set up a decider.

Lines, of Leeds, led 58-9 and Allen’s attempted fightback stalled, Lines eventually getting over the line after cueing across his first attempt at frame ball.

There was better news for Trump’s close friend Jack Lisowski and for another west country player, Robert Milkins, who both enjoyed 5-0 wins over Tian Pengfei and John Astley respectively.

World number one Neil Robertson came from 2-0 down against Zhu Yinghui to win 5-2 and set up a clash with Martin Gould.

Zhu had knocked out nine-time ladies’ world champion Reanne Evans and started well again but the Australian responded with breaks of 58, 69 and 83.

Ben Woolaston, Gerard Greene and Scott Donaldson were among the other winners yesterday.

World Championship finalist Barry Hawkins finally shook off the dogged Fergal O’Brien 5-3 but Peter Ebdon, the 2002 world champion and a two-time China Open winner, could not add to his successes in Asia as he went down 5-3 to Xioa Guodong.