April 30th 2024.
Judd Trump has been breezing through his matches at the Crucible, but he knows he'll have a tougher challenge against Jak Jones in the quarter-final of the World Snooker Championship. Despite his confidence, it's no surprise that Trump has reached the last eight, considering his impressive season with five ranking titles already under his belt. However, Jones may not be a familiar name to many, having not made much noise in the snooker world since reaching the quarter-finals in his debut appearance at the Crucible last year. This year, he had to fight through two tough qualifying games before securing his spot in the main event, where he defeated Zhang Anda and Si Jiahui on the big stage.
Although Trump is the clear favorite to win, he knows that Jones is not to be underestimated, especially at the Crucible. Having faced each other multiple times in their careers, Trump is well aware of Jones' potential and how he can play at his best when facing top players. "Tough game," Trump said. "There have been times when Jak has played unbelievably well against me, so I know he's capable of it. He also seems to thrive in this tournament, making him a dangerous opponent." Trump also noted that Jones' slower and more methodical style of play can be difficult to handle and requires a lot of patience.
Jones has proven himself to be a formidable player on the Crucible stage over the past two years, and Trump knows he'll have to bring his A-game to secure a win. While he may have had relatively easy wins against Hossein Vafaei and Tom Ford, Trump has not been at his best, only scoring two centuries so far. However, he's not worried about his form, as he believes he performs better under pressure and when facing a challenge. "I feel like it's hard to really play your best when you're not being pushed," Trump explained. "There's not that buzz inside me or that pressure that I need to deliver now. So maybe the concentration just hasn't been what it would be normally."
Despite not playing his best, Trump is confident that he can bring out his top performance when needed. He believes that his previous struggles at the World Championship have taught him how to handle difficult situations and find his best form under pressure. "The important thing for me is that I feel like it's in there," Trump said. "A couple of times recently in the Worlds it hasn't been there, so it was never going to come out. This year, if really needed, I could probably turn it on."
Trump and Jones will face each other in the quarter-final on Tuesday morning, marking their sixth professional meeting. Jones has won once before, proving that he's not to be underestimated. In other news, John Higgins has reflected on his "best ever" clearance in a recent emotional interview, while Dave Gilbert credits Andy Lee for his impressive return to form.
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