Judd Trump Gives Honest Verdict After John Higgins Names Him Snooker’s Flag Bearer

World number one Judd Trump put Chinese potter Zhou Yuelong to the sword with a 6-0 whitewash in the first round of the 2026 Players Championship.

While his performance was out of this world, the post-match conversation quickly shifted to a broader question: has Trump received the plaudits he truly deserves from fans?

For years, debate in snooker circles has centred on who will ultimately fill the shoes of Ronnie O'Sullivan as the sport’s leading figure. 

Four-time world champion John Higgins offered a candid view on the matter following his own first-round victory over Neil Robertson.

Higgins Questions Lack of Recognition

Higgins admitted he is puzzled that Trump is not already widely viewed as snooker’s standard bearer.

“I’ll be brutally honest, I hear a lot of people saying this. I don't know what Judd Trump has got to in the game to actually be classed as the next flag bearer,” Higgins told SportsBoom.co.uk, post-match after defeating Robertson.

“He’s won just as much as anybody in the game. There is maybe not the world titles that he wants, but I'm sure they'll come.”

“For him to have won the volume of titles, the style he plays, smart looking young guy. I don't know why more is not made of him now being the flag bearer for the game. That's just my personal opinion.”

British Popularity Debate

Despite Trump’s success and sizeable global following, particularly in China and across Europe, Higgins believes UK audiences may still gravitate toward more colourful personalities.

“I don't know because he’s just a decent young guy, who you never see him in trouble," Higgins told SportsBoom.co.uk.

“I know he is well liked in China. He's got a lot of fans and a lot of fans in Europe. Maybe the British public they might be want a guy like [Alex] Higgins or a Jimmy White or Ronnie now that there's maybe a little bit of baggage there that they can shout for.”

Trump: Personality Plays a Role

Presented with Higgins’ comments after his win in Telford, Trump downplayed the need for the “flag bearer” label but acknowledged personality often drives popularity.

“There's definitely respect there, but I think just because of the nature of the personality in sport it’s always the kind of the crazy ones,” Trump told SportsBoom.co.uk. 

“I don't do drugs, I don't smoke, I don't do anything like that. My family have brought me up too nice. You're never gonna get the same kind of publicity because I'm someone that wants to stay out of the limelight. He's [O’Sullivan] a little bit more of the opposite.”

“I'm a lot quieter and, and less outspoken I think, and it makes it a little bit more difficult to kind of steal the limelight.”

Federer Comparison and Winning Mentality

Trump suggested sustained dominance, similar to Roger Federer in tennis, may ultimately be the clearest route to universal recognition.

“You say that and you've got people like Roger Federer, you've just gotta win enough events to put yourself up there.”

Praise From Higgins Means Most

For Trump, the endorsement of a legend such as Higgins carries more weight than wider public acclaim.

“But in the snooker world, I think when people like John [Higgins], when he speaks like that, that's all I need really.

“Anyone else is a little bit irrelevant when you've got one of the greats saying that.”

Already Carrying the Mantle?

Asked whether he even wants to be snooker’s flag bearer, Trump suggested his achievements over the past several years already make the case.

Since the start of the decade, Trump has claimed 20 ranking titles, eight more than nearest challenger Mark Selby, who sits on 12, underlining his sustained dominance.

“I think I've already been that for like the last seven years, I'd say,” Trump added. 

“I’ve probably been the most successful player, I don't know in terms of stats, finals wins and stuff, but I can't think of anyone that's even remotely close in that kind of sense.”

“I've been pretty dominant over the last six or seven years, so I think I've already had that kind of mantle,” he concluded.