Carter comeback trumps Judd

Ali Carter won the final four frames to claim a 13-12 win over Judd Trump in the second round of the World Championship.

All looked great for Trump, last year's runner-up and world number two, when a break of 96 opened up a 12-9 lead over his fellow Englishman.

But Carter, the world number 17, stormed back to take the next three and set up a decider.

Both players had chances in a 46-minute frame but it was Carter who stayed cool, despite Trump threatening another twist by getting three of the four snookers needed when in desperate trouble.

It was a stunning contest from the start with Carter grabbing an early 5-3 advantage, before runs of 120 and 79 had Trump 9-7 up overnight.

Trump fell short on a maximum break attempt in the 19th frame when he reached 96 after 12 reds and blacks.

Luck

Carter was on the way back from the brink when he riled Trump in the 23rd frame by sarcastically applauding a shot from the Bristol youngster, who seemed to strike lucky when he tucked the white ball up in a snooker behind the brown and yellow after taking on and missing a long red.

"If he wants to do that, then it's up to him, but he's 30-odd years old and it's a bit childish," Trump said.

Carter, 32, insisted there was "no needle" between the pair, and Trump agreed, but said: "A lot of players enjoy me losing."

Carter claimed the win was one which would leave Trump scarred, and he was particularly pleased that the end was so painful, as the new Crucible darling threatened to win the decider from a point where he required four snookers.

Trump got three of them, but Carter then potted the colours he required to leave no way back.

Carter added: "In a way it makes it sweeter that I had to suffer for another 10 minutes and get out of snookers and play a bit more.

"Judd just pots them from everywhere but there's more to this game than potting them from everywhere.

"Now he can know what it feels like to have a nasty scar in your career and it's not easy to get over."

Trump reacted, saying: "I'm still a lot younger than him and have done a lot better, so let's just let the snooker do the talking."

Hawkins out

Meanwhile on the other table at the Crucible Theatre on Monday afternoon, Wales' Matthew Stevens held his nerve for a 13-11 second-round win over Englishman Barry Hawkins.

A close match throughout was settled in Stevens' favour with a 57 break in the 24th frame.

"It was very tough," said Stevens said, who will face compatriot Ryan Day in the last eight.

"I stuck in there yesterday after being 3-0 down. Barry played very solid in the opening few frames and I was under the cosh all the way really.

"Today was very tense, both of us kept missing the balls. It was tough but it's nice to get back in the quarter-final again."