Monday 12 December 2011

Judd captures landmark title

Judd Trump enjoyed the finest night of his young career at the end of his breakthrough year in the sport - but you know it's just the start of a glittering era.

The 22-year-old has taken a little longer than everyone expected to make his mark but 2011 has seen him burst on the scene beyond all expectations.

Picture by Monique Limbos
He's won the China Open, finished runner-up in the World Championship and last night scored a tremendous 10-8 win against Mark Allen in the UK Championship.

Not for the first time he showed superb shot-making, flair and the ability to play under the greatest of pressures.

The best thing about Judd is his love for playing on the biggest stages.  In a front of a packed Barbican crowd he turned up the gas on his Northern Irish opponent, who was playing well enough to win the title himself.

Allen made four centuries and still lost, which puts into perspective just how well Judd played. The match was a great advert for snooker. It had big breaks, outrageous pots, high standard bouts of safety and was played in great spirits.

However good a match it was though, it's the morning after now and it's all about Trump.

He has great self-belief and supreme confidence which coupled with his fine talents give us an incredible snooker talent. For now, Judd can look back on a year of great achievements but he's been getting better and better and will only improve next year too.

It's important he sits back and enjoys his fine success in York - but now he's had a taste of the top I expect him to come back hungry for more.

He's a born star, a player who only cares about winning. That is the sign of the greatest of champions.

Last night was a landmark win for super Trump, a night where the he and his family realised all those years of hard work coming through the sport from the junior game to the amateur scene, onto the professional tour and now to the top of the sport.

Victory here means Judd has completed a journey but there are many more to make. There's still so much more left for him to achieve.

Judd Trump is here to stay.

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