November 12th 2023.
Zhang Anda pulled off a remarkable feat this past Sunday when he won the International Championship, beating Tom Ford 10-6 in the final. This was Zhang's first ranking title and it came in style, as he made a 147 early in the match.
The 31-year-old had to get through Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals to reach the final. This is the second time he has beaten O'Sullivan this season, following his win in the English Open last month. It has certainly given Zhang a newfound confidence, as Judd Trump notes.
“Anytime you beat Ronnie in a tournament, that gives you a bit of an extra boost,” said Trump. “Especially for him to do it twice in a row. It’s hard to know whether he’s going to keep this up or he’s just done well to win while he’s playing well, because he’s never really done it before. It’s new territory.”
Trump and Zhang faced each other in the English Open final, with Trump emerging victorious 9-7. This win secured Zhang a spot in the Champion of Champions, starting on Monday. Unsurprisingly, he'll be facing O'Sullivan again on Wednesday, and Trump is expecting the Rocket to be out for revenge.
“Ronnie’s not going to enjoy that one, I don’t think,” said Trump. “He doesn’t want to be losing for a third time, that’s for sure. He’ll have a bit of extra incentive, he’ll want to prove him wrong this time.”
Trump had been on an incredible winning streak of 22 matches before losing to Stephen Maguire in China. This match wasn't shown as it was not on one of the two TV tables, which seemed strange given the immense form Trump has been showing. Trump himself thought it was rather bizarre and didn't help him maintain the same standards he had been displaying over the last month.
“Being on the outside tables wasn’t ideal for me,” he said. “I didn’t lack motivation but it’s just not the same atmosphere, it’s very hard for me to have the same intensity when I play on the outside tables. It just felt a bit strange after being on that run that I was stuck on the outside, I lost and it felt a bit dismissed, it was a bit hush-hush, it was all a bit weird.”
Despite the loss, Trump is still feeling positive about his game, which is understandable after winning the English Open, Wuhan Open, and Northern Ireland Open titles this season. He is aiming to add the Champion of Champions trophy to his collection as well, an event he has won once before and finished runner-up in three more times. Trump views the tournament as being almost on the same level as The Masters.
The players will also be sporting new t-shirts at the Champion of Champions, as the event is trying to gain its own identity. Trump believes everyone loves the Champion of Champions and he is hoping to do better in the tournament as he has gotten older. He takes on women’s world champion Baipat Siripaporn in his opening game in Bolton on Thursday.
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