World snooker number one Judd Trump has revealed that his much-publicised cue experiment is far from over, with the possibility of another equipment change looming later this season. The English star, who has been without a tournament victory for over a year, has returned to his trusted old cue but continues to test alternatives while competing at the German Masters in Berlin.
The Cue Conundrum: A Season of Change
Trump made headlines earlier this season when he switched to a new cue for the first time in seven years, a period during which he became world champion and established himself as the sport's most successful player. This dramatic equipment change represented a significant departure from the tools that had brought him such remarkable success throughout his career.
The experiment, however, failed to deliver the desired results. Trump struggled to find his best form with the new cue and failed to win any tournaments during this period. The turning point came at the Champion of Champions event, where he reached the final but felt unable to perform at his peak against Mark Selby, ultimately deciding to revert to his familiar equipment.
Current Form and Future Possibilities
Since returning to his old cue, Trump has reached the UK Championship final and Masters semi-final, though his trophy drought continues. Speaking in Berlin this week, the 34-year-old explained his ongoing equipment deliberations: "I've been practising with other cues and nothing is absolutely perfect. The way I'm playing with my old cue at the moment, I'm putting myself in good positions every event."
Trump suggested that the end of the season might present the ideal opportunity for another change: "If I don't win anything, then I'll change the cue. But if I win one or two big ones, then maybe I'll have another year [with it]." This statement indicates that his current equipment situation remains fluid, with performance outcomes likely to dictate his final decision.
Deciding Frame Dilemma
Beyond his cue considerations, Trump has identified another concerning pattern in his recent performances: a remarkable run of deciding frame defeats. Throughout this season, he has lost seven consecutive matches that went to a final frame, including high-profile encounters against John Higgins, Shaun Murphy, and Gary Wilson.
"I feel good," Trump reflected. "Just the odd miss here and there. It's been kind of the story of the whole season, not winning any deciding frames and if you don't do that, then you're not going to win. Any time I've had a good season I've always been nicking the close ones and this year it's been a little bit different."
The snooker star remains philosophical about this statistical anomaly, suggesting that probability might eventually swing in his favour: "If you look at it in percentage terms, it looks like I'm probably due a win after the losses. So you always have to look on the bright side. It's just snooker."
Practice Disruption and Confidence
Trump attributes some of his current challenges to a disrupted practice routine, particularly relating to his brother Jack's reduced involvement. Jack has traditionally served as Trump's practice supervisor, but visa issues have limited his availability this season.
"Every year in the last seven years my brother's been doing the same thing," Trump explained. "This year has been a little bit harder because there's been more distractions off the table with him not being able to get a visa, which is now sorted. So probably the first year that I've not practised to the same level as the last six years."
This change in routine has apparently affected Trump's confidence levels: "Maybe just not quite as confident because I know not quite as much work has gone in. But at this level, that's probably all it takes."
German Masters Campaign
Trump began his German Masters campaign successfully on Tuesday, defeating Hong Kong's Cheung Ka Wei to set up a last-32 encounter with Ryan Day. Despite his recent challenges, the world number one appears relaxed about his overall game, focusing instead on breaking his deciding frame curse and ending his trophy drought that dates back to his UK Championship victory in December 2024.
As the snooker season progresses, all eyes will be on whether Trump can rediscover his championship-winning form with his current equipment or whether another cue change might provide the spark needed to return to the winner's circle.
