World No.1 Judd Trump Reveals the Real Reason Behind His Year-Long Title Drought

World No. 1 Judd Trump remains in the hunt for his first title of the 2025 calendar year after a 6-3 victory over Chinese starlet Si Jiahui booked his place in the UK Championship quarterfinals. 

The reigning champion is aiming to extend a remarkable run of winning at least one ranking event every calendar year since 2014, an achievement that is now down to its final opportunity.

Tight Pockets Spark Debate in York

One of the standout themes of the 49th UK Championship at the Barbican in York has been the brutal nature of the pockets, with anything slightly off-line or poorly weighted simply refusing to drop. It has led to a far more measured approach compared to last month’s International Championship in Nanjing, where players were far more aggressive.

Opinions in the field have been split. Kyren Wilson deemed the conditions “unplayable”, while Neil Robertson felt they were ideal for separating the best from the rest.

Trump, however, had no complaints.

"I don’t think the pockets are that tight really. I think they’re perfect really. Everything has been really good this week."

"I think the table has been exceptional after it’s been re-clothed overnight.”

Should Snooker Standardise Tables Globally? Trump Says Yes

Much of the discussion has been fuelled by comparisons with recent events in China, where pockets were described as “buckets” and century breaks were flowing freely. 

Asked whether global table conditions should be standardised, Trump was fully on board.

“Yeah definitely,” he told SportsBoom.co.uk. 

He believes table fitters in China still need experience to match UK standards, while also acknowledging that Triple Crown pressure can magnify players’ mistakes.

“It’s been tricky. I think it’s through nobody’s own fault, just maybe the table fitters in China aren’t quite as experienced and just haven’t got it quite right yet.”

“The UK events are never massive pockets as it is, come the world championship and the masters, the tables are always consistent. There’s not millions of centuries being knocked in as it is because it is kind of pressure cooker when you come to those events.”

Why 11 Winners From 11 Events? Trump Has a Theory

Eleven tournaments in the current season, and eleven different winners, an almost unheard-of level of parity. 

Trump believes the friendlier pockets seen at several events have played a role.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a factor.”

However, he warned that China’s humidity creates its own extreme, and that combining such conditions with tighter pockets could take the sport back decades.

“The only thing is with China is it is also very humid. The pockets get very tight, very quick. So, it’s very difficult to get that balance.”

“I think if you had the humidity out there with these pockets, they might be back to the sixties or seventies when you see the highest break of 50. There’s a very fine line because you don't want the standard to be too bad.”

A New Mindset: Winning No Longer Defines Trump

With nearly a full year since his last title, Trump was asked whether he feels more pressure entering this UK Championship.

Surprisingly, he says his mentality around winning has shifted considerably.

“I’ve won so many events in such a short space of time, it all kind of blends in. I don't have the same kind of winning feeling that I used to have when I first winning events.”

“It’s all very similar to me, win or lose. As soon as the game’s done, it is done.”

Instead, what drives him now are the moments shared with family after big wins.

"Look, it is nicer for my family to have that winning moment. I think last year was nice to celebrate with them after the final. I think it’s that kind of moment, whether I win or lose it doesn’t really matter, it’s just about building those moments to spend with your family at the end.”

Practice Struggles and Loss of Belief

Trump also revisited something he recently shared with SportsBoom, his practice has been disrupted since moving to Dubai, largely because his brother and practice partner hasn’t been able to join him.

“I’ve not been able to practise cause my brother has not been able to be in Dubai with me. There’s been two or three months where I’ve not been able to put in same amount of work as I have done for the past six years.”

Despite the setback, he refuses to blame circumstances.

“There’s always going to be ups and downs in your career. There’s always going to be things off the table. Nothing is ever perfect, but I try not to make excuses.”

Ultimately, he feels his recent run of final defeats comes down to missed opportunities, and a temporary dip in self-belief.

“It’s just down to me not taking my chances. I’ve been putting myself in the position loads of times, getting to finals and losing them.”

"I think it might be down to a little bit of belief, which will eventually come back.”