Judd Trump clinched victory over John Higgins in a stellar performance at the German Masters, notching up breaks of 78, 74, 71, and 68 for a commanding 5-2 win. Trump, maintaining remarkable consistency, secured his seventh ranking semi-final spot in just 10 events this season, establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with. Despite Higgins reaching three ranking semis this campaign, he has yet to progress further, striving for his first ranking event triumph since 2021. Trump, acknowledging the prowess of the Wizard of Wishaw, positions him alongside Ronnie O’Sullivan as the standard-bearers for greatness in the realm of snooker.
Having already secured three titles this season, Judd Trump acknowledges that his current form, confidence, and results surpass those of John Higgins. Despite recognizing the disparity, Trump regards the four-time world champion as the yardstick to evaluate his own game.
“In the initial five to ten years, he consistently edged past his opponents, and now I find myself doing the same. Especially in crucial moments, potting those pivotal balls,” said Trump. “Today, John faltered with an easy shot to level at 3-3, and that made the pivotal difference.”
Trump views Higgins as a valuable benchmark, noting their current meeting reflects a slight dip in Higgins’ level and a rise in his own. Emphasizing that every encounter with Higgins remains a challenging battle, Trump positions him, alongside Ronnie O’Sullivan, as the standard-bearers. Triumphing over such formidable opponents signifies his strong performance in the snooker arena.
Judd Trump faces an unexpected opponent in the semi-finals as Sam Craigie secures his spot in the final four for the first time in his career, displaying a stellar 5-1 victory over defending champion Ali Carter.
The 30-year-old, who reached the UK Championship quarter-finals last season, believes he has unlocked the code to unleash his talent this year.
“I remained in the zone, solely concentrating on my game. That’s it, tuning out distractions and honing in on my gameplay,” expressed Craigie, revealing his focused approach to snooker excellence.
People have said it for years and years since I was young, that I have all the talent in the world. I just didn’t believe it. Every tournament I changed my cue action. In the last two months I haven’t changed my cue action. I’ve been able to enjoy playing.’’ He added.
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