Judd Trump Pinpoints Concentration as Key to Second World Title
World number one Judd Trump has openly admitted that he keeps messing it up at the World Snooker Championship and must sharpen his concentration at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre to secure another title. The 36-year-old snooker star, known as The Ace, has won the prestigious event only once, back in 2019 when he defeated John Higgins.
A History of Near Misses at the Crucible
Trump's record at the World Championship includes two runner-up finishes, losing to Higgins in 2011 and Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2022, along with three semi-final defeats. His most recent semi-final loss came last year against Mark Williams. Despite these setbacks, he consistently positions himself as a contender, rarely exiting in the early rounds.
Since the tournament moved to Sheffield in 1977, only six players have won the World Championship more than once:
- Steve Davis
- Stephen Hendry
- Ronnie O'Sullivan
- John Higgins
- Mark Williams
- Mark Selby
Trump aims to join this elite group but acknowledges the unique challenge of maintaining peak performance over the 17-day marathon at the Crucible.
Ending the Drought and Refocusing
Trump recently ended a 14-month ranking title drought by winning the German Masters in Berlin, defeating Shaun Murphy 10-4 in the final. This victory brought his total ranking titles to 31, placing him behind only O'Sullivan (41), Hendry (36), and Higgins (33). With time on his side, Trump has the potential to climb this list in the coming years.
Reflecting on his Crucible struggles, Trump said, I'm dangerous every year, but I seem to mess it up! I just keep putting myself in the position. I've reached finals there, semi-finals. It's not like I'm getting knocked out in the first round every time.
He emphasised the need for sustained focus: It's just the Crucible, you need to keep your form up for two-and-a-half weeks and at the moment I'm just running a little bit short. So I just need to kind of figure out that last push, that last four or five days and try to keep my concentration up.
Overcoming Challenges and Looking Ahead
Trump attributed part of his recent struggles to a disrupted season, including changing cues and visa issues that prevented his brother and practice partner, Jack, from joining him in Dubai. Now, with these obstacles resolved, he feels ready to refocus. I've got no more excuses. My brother's back in Dubai with me now. We're able to practise and I've still got a lot of events left. So, yeah, no more excuses now. It's time to knuckle down, he stated.
Looking forward, Trump will compete in several upcoming tournaments, including the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong, the Players Championship, World Open, and Tour Championship, before his next World Championship attempt in April. He approaches all events with the same determination, saying, All I can do is try my best. If it's the German Masters or if it's the Masters, I try the same and, yeah, I can't really peak for any event, but I just give it my all.
Trump's goal remains clear: to win that second Crucible title and continue adding to his legacy in the sport.
