Judd Trump makes early Masters statement in pursuit of overdue appreciation
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Trump demolished Barry Hawkins 6-1 in the first round at Alexandra Palace and believes it will take something special to stop him this week. The Judd Trump train is showing no signs of slowing down and after brushing aside Barry Hawkins to kick off his Masters campaign, the world No 1 knows it will take something special to stop him at Alexandra Palace this week.
![[Judd Trump is trying to add a third Masters title to his trophy cabinet this week]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/14/17/SEI235942990.jpg)
For a long time, the knock on Trump was that he was more than capable of racking up the ‘smaller’ ranking events, and could do so in some style, but when it came to snooker’s very biggest tournaments, he was more often than not found wanting. Yes, he had the world title he won in 2019, when he obliterated John Higgins in the final with perhaps the greatest performance ever seen in snooker’s showpiece match, but 2011 was his sole UK Championship crown, while 2019 and 2023 were the only two Masters trophies in his cabinet.
![[Trump looked sharp to beat Barry Hawkins 6-1 at the Masters]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/14/17/SEI235942008.jpg)
For a player as prodigiously talented, with such an incredible work ethic and having demonstrated plenty of tournament-winning pedigree to be in the top five all-time list of ranking event winners, this was seen as an underachievement. But that is starting to change. His brilliant final-frame clearance to beat Mark Williams 10-9 in the inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters final in September – a big-money tournament deemed a ‘major’ by World Snooker Tour – was followed by a second UK Championship crown last month.
He is now halfway to a first-ever ‘grand slam’ if he can accomplish the not insignificant task of adding the 2025 Masters and World Championship crowns to his tally in the coming months. He’s up to fourth in the all-time ranking event wins list, above the legendary Steve Davis, and only one title behind John Higgins in third.
