September 9th 2024.
Judd Trump, the reigning snooker champion, added another win to his impressive record by emerging victorious at the first ever Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters on Saturday. It was a familiar sight to see Trump hoisting yet another trophy, but this time it was in a new location for the sport. The final match against Mark Williams turned out to be a nail-biting classic, with an unforgettable ending that had fans on the edge of their seats.
The Welshman, Williams, took the lead with a break of 62 in the deciding frame. However, the game took an unexpected twist when he missed his shot, leaving Trump with an opportunity to clear the table and claim the win. And that's exactly what he did, making an impressive break of 72 to secure a 10-9 victory. Not only did he take home the trophy, but he also walked away with a whopping top prize of £500,000.
"It was an incredible feeling," Trump said, still feeling the adrenaline from his win. "I didn't play my best all day, Mark was definitely the better player, so to be able to dig deep and come out with a win was truly amazing."
This wasn't the first time Trump faced off against Williams in a final. He recalled a similar experience a year or two ago at the Masters final where he didn't feel like he deserved to win. However, this time, he believes the win tops all others because of the pressure and manner in which he secured the victory.
The prize money offered at the event in Riyadh was record-breaking, equalling the amounts won at the World Championship and the Crucible. This new tournament has been dubbed as the "Fourth Major," but Trump remains humble, stating that he treats every tournament with the same level of importance.
"It's hard for me to rank one above the others because I've always treated every event equally," he explained. "I give my best in every game, every tournament. Whether people want to consider this as the fourth largest or the second or the 20th, it doesn't really matter to me. I'm just happy that we put on a good show and hope to inspire more people to play snooker."
The crowds in Riyadh were a topic of discussion as the tournament didn't seem to be drawing much local interest. In the early rounds, there were barely any spectators, and it wasn't until the semi-finals that fans started showing up in significant numbers. Trump compared this to his experiences playing in China, where there may be great interest in the sport, but the crowd sizes can vary.
"Many times in my career, I've played in front of smaller crowds in China," he revealed. "Even in finals, when I was just starting out, there would only be 20 or 30 people watching. So it's not something new to us."
Despite the slow start, the atmosphere in the final was electric, according to Trump. He acknowledged that he may be biased due to being caught up in the moment, but he believes it was one of the best atmospheres he's played in. He hopes that the audience watching at home could feel the intensity and excitement of the game.
Trump also addressed the criticism of the low turnout in earlier rounds, particularly pointing out that when Ronnie O'Sullivan was playing, the crowds were full. He believes that it's up to the players to put on a show and attract more spectators.
"People may say that they're not interested in snooker here, but they showed up for Ronnie. So it's not that they're not interested, it's up to us to play more aggressively, quickly, and put on a show, and then they'll come," he said confidently.
Over the weekend, Judd Trump once again proved his dominance on the snooker table by winning the first ever Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. It was a historic moment for the sport, with a familiar name taking home the trophy in a new and exciting setting.
The final match against Mark Williams was nothing short of a classic, with an unforgettable ending that left everyone on the edge of their seats. Williams made a break of 62 in the deciding frame, but unfortunately missed his shot, giving Trump the opportunity to clear up with a break of 72 and secure a 10-9 victory. It was an intense and nerve-wracking moment for both players, but in the end, it was Trump who emerged as the champion, taking home an enormous top prize of £500,000.
Reflecting on his win, Trump shared, "It was a pretty special feeling. I wasn't playing well all day, I played terrible. Mark was the much better player, so to be able to find that something extra from somewhere was incredible." He also mentioned a previous game against Williams in the Masters final a few years ago, where he didn't feel like he deserved to win. However, he believes that this win tops it because of the manner in which he was able to pull off the clearance under immense pressure. Trump sees this victory as a highlight in his career and is grateful for the opportunity to compete and come out on top.
The prize money for the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters was nothing short of astonishing, with Trump taking home the same amount as Kyren Wilson did for winning the World Championship earlier this year. Williams also walked away with a substantial amount, equivalent to what Crucible runner-up Jak Jones received. This new event has been dubbed as "The Fourth Major" in the snooker world, but Trump remains humble and doesn't see it as any more significant than any other tournament. He shared, "It's difficult for me to rank one above the others because I've always treated every tournament equally. I always try my best in every single one."
The crowds in Riyadh were a hot topic of discussion, with many noticing the lack of local interest in the tournament. In the earlier rounds, there were hardly any people in the stands, and even in the semi-final, the turnout was minimal, except for when Ronnie O'Sullivan was playing. However, Trump sees this as nothing new, as he has played in many events abroad, specifically in China, with small crowds. He believes that it's up to the players to put on a good show and attract the crowds earlier on. "People are quick to forget, the last tournament in Xi'an, I played three or four games with 20 or 30 people watching. It's not like it's anything new to us," he shared.
Speaking about the atmosphere in the final, Trump mentioned that he was caught up in the moment, but to him, it was nothing short of unbelievable. He admitted that he may be biased because he was clearing up, but it was definitely one of the best atmospheres he has experienced in his career. He hopes that the viewers at home could feel the intensity and excitement through their screens. He also acknowledged that it was a slow start, but when O'Sullivan was playing, the crowds were full. This, to Trump, shows that people are interested in snooker, and it's up to the players to put on a show to draw them in. "It's just up to us to be more attacking, quick, put on a show, and then they'll come," he concluded.
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