Judd Trump
eurosport

World number two snooker star Judd Trump will be determined to find some consistency as he builds towards the 2023 World Championship.

A player rated as one of the favorites to go all the way at the major tournament in April, Trump has some improvements to make before he takes on the very best at The Crucible in Sheffield.

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Disappointment In Belfast

A shock early exit from the Northern Ireland Open will have raised questions about Trump’s chances for the World Championship next year. For those betting on snooker, according to the outright odds as it currently stands, the 33-year-old is joint-favorite at +450 to win the second world title of his career next year, suffered a 4-1 defeat in the second round. Trump was not the only World Championship contender to be knocked out early in Belfast, with Ronnie O’Sullivan also suffering a surprising defeat to fellow Englishman David Grace in the second round.

Both Trump and O’Sullivan are expected to be competing at the business end of the World Championship next year but the pair will need to raise their games if they are to reach the final at The Crucible. After Trump’s exit from the Northern Ireland Open, the three-time winner of the competition was adamant he didn’t know what went wrong in the venue at Waterfront Hall. The Englishman will need to find the answers in the near future if he is to compete with the likes of O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, and Neil Roberston for the world title next year.

Trump Has Been There And Got The T-Shirt

There is no doubt that Trump’s ability and the fact he already has a world title to his name shows he can compete under the most intense pressure, in the biggest tournament there is. Trump announced himself on the world stage back in 2019 when he beat Scotland’s John Higgins to win the World Championship for the first time in his career. There have been high hopes Trump could repeat the feat in the following years but as of yet, he’s still looking to get his hands back on the trophy.

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Trump has certainly shown positive form in the years following 2019, as he reached the quarter-finals of the competition in Sheffield in both 2019 and 2020. The Juddernaut, as he’s sometimes known, managed to reach his third World Championship final this year, only to lose out to O’Sullivan 18-13. Watching O’Sullivan land his seventh title and join Scotland’s Stephen Hendry with the most world crowns, might well be a driving source of motivation for Trump as he looks to go again in Sheffield next year.

Trump may be happy to get some bad form out of the way at tournaments like the Northern Ireland Open, before the main event in April. He’s shown in the past he knows what it takes to win a World Championship and, with even more experience under his belt, Trump should be a real contender at The Crucible next year.

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As a seasoned content writer with a passion for storytelling, Vaishali strives to capture the essence of current events and share impactful stories with a global audience. With a background in journalism and a commitment to delivering accurate, timely, and engaging news content, she aims to shed light on diverse perspectives and provide insightful analysis. Throughout her career, she has honed her skills in researching and writing, ensuring that readers receive comprehensive and compelling content to read. For the last 2 years, she has worked on various beats, from entertainment and sports to national and global politics.