World Snooker Championship 2022 - Even in defeat to Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump has a path to greatness

There were several touching moments at the conclusion of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s victory over Judd Trump in the final of the World Snooker Championship on Monday. Chief among them was that Sorcerer-embraces-apprentice hug when the result was confirmed, and the whispered but as yet unknown exchange between the two players in each other’s ears.

We were all swept away in that moment, but as intriguing as what might have been said there is O’Sullivan’s on the record statement to Hazel Irvine in the post-match interview that followed. «As far as I’m concerned,» he said, «this fella, he’s already an all-time great, the way he plays the game.» Ad/> We had to wait a little while for Judd.

After his breakout year of 2011, where he won the China Open, took John Higgins to the brink in the final at the Crucible and then picked up the UK Championship, all in extrovert style, it seemed like the game had found a new catalyst. There is a similar age gap from Alex Higgins to Jimmy White, from White to O’Sullivan, and from O’Sullivan to Trump; at 22-years old, and with O’Sullivan periodically hinting that he might walk away from the game, it looked like Trump was braced to carry the game for the next generation.

SnookerWorld Seniors Championship: Order of play, schedule and results from the Crucible4 HOURS AGO Cashing in that prodigious gift took some time. Trump reached another UK final and won a few ranking events, but it wasn’t until 2019 that he finally harnessed his potential.