Judd Trump’s trophy drought extends back to the 2024 UK Championship.
World number one Judd Trump delivered a commanding performance, securing a 4-0 victory over a struggling Mark Williams in just 48 minutes to advance to the semi-finals of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.
Trump, seeking his first title of the season, reverted to a previous cue and displayed a return to form, highlighted by breaks of 100 and 102 to seal the win.
This performance stood in stark contrast to his defeat to Mark Selby in the Champion of Champions final four days prior, where Trump cited difficulties stemming from his switch to a new cue featuring a titanium ferrule, instead of the traditional brass, at the season’s outset.
“The experiment with that cue did not succeed. It is hard to play your best when you are trying to find the right cue, but I’m out there battling,” Trump stated.
“There is still going to be a bit of changing until I find the right cue, it is not perfect at the moment.
“We are all fortunate just to play snooker for a living. Sometimes it’s tough when things are not going your way, but I will keep trying and at some point it will all click again.”
In the semi-finals, Trump will face China’s Zhao Xintong, who secured his place with a 4-2 victory over Shaun Murphy, marked by four half-century breaks.
The other semi-final will see defending Riyadh champion Mark Allen take on Australia’s Neil Robertson.
Allen of Northern Ireland prevailed 4-2 in a tightly contested match against Scotland’s John Higgins.
Robertson, already a champion at this season’s Saudi Arabia Masters, dominated his match against Kyren Wilson, clinching a 4-0 victory with breaks of 100, 133, 88, and 76.