2024 World Grand Prix: Judd Trump’s Special Connection with the Players Series

In a masterful display of snooker prowess, Judd Trump left no room for doubt as he dominated the quarterfinals of the 2024 Spreadex World Grand Prix with a resounding 5-1 victory over Mark Selby at the Morningside Arena in Leicester. From the opening frame, Trump's precision and determination were evident as he took an early lead with a break of 59, setting the tone for a one-sided clash.

As the match progressed, Selby struggled to find his rhythm, making crucial mistakes that played into Trump's hands. The hometown hero's misstep in the second frame allowed Trump to extend his lead to 2-0. Despite Selby's attempts to mount a comeback, Trump's brilliance on the table, capped by a scintillating century break of 119, brought him within one frame of victory.

Selby managed to salvage some pride with a century break of exactly 100 in the fifth frame, avoiding a whitewash. However, Trump's dominance proved insurmountable as he sealed the deal in the sixth frame with a break of 68, securing a spot in the semi-finals and reinforcing his quest for a fourth World Grand Prix championship. 

Trump acknowledged that he felt Mark Selby wasn’t at his best during the match, stating, "I felt like Mark struggled a little bit. I didn't play particularly well. I kind of just picked up the pieces in a lot of the frames, he’s just struggled a little bit against me recently." 

Reflecting on his approach to the game, Trump emphasised the importance of getting off to a quick start and adopting an attacking style, saying, "I tried to just play as attacking as possible, take on as many balls as I possibly could see and just try not to get too bogged down in the safety side of things, and I think that helped."

Despite not feeling at his absolute best, Trump has only lost three frames in the entire tournament. When asked about his performance, he humbly commented, "Yeah, I mean obviously you want to play perfect Snooker every single game, but a lot of the times I feel like when I'm playing well, sometimes I don't win events and when I'm not playing as well, I do win events."

Trump's mindset differs from some of his peers like Ronnie O'Sullivan, who often prioritises playing well over winning matches. Trump acknowledged the balance between playing well and winning, stating, "It is nice to play well and give the crowd something to watch all the time, but it is nice to also get through and give yourself another chance to play well rather than be sat at home."