Hawkins scored only 59 points in the first five frames, his cause not helped by knocking in a red when attempting to disturb the pack while potting the blue in the opening frame.
Trump, who won the Masters in 2019 and 2023, told BBC Two: “The first frame kind of turned the whole game. He was a bit unlucky, I didn’t see if it was a plant, but a couple of times he knocked a ball in.
“You have to be so careful because, I’m not exaggerating, that just turns the match. If he gets in and makes a break, then he settles down and I miss an easy ball in the next frame, it’s 2-0 or 3-0 the other way.
“The first frame is so important, whenever I win that first frame I seem to be able to gain momentum. Little things like that can change the game.”
The same foul occurred in the fourth frame, by which time Trump was in full control of the match.
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