Are conditions easier for scoring in China as Trump recaptures magic in Shanghai?

Updated 23/07/2024 at 13:46 GMT

Judd Trump returned to peak form after he dismissed the opposition to claim the Shanghai Masters title for the first time in his career. The 28-time ranking event winner looked completely transformed from the player who lost 13-9 to Jak Jones in the World Championship quarter-finals in May as he totted up 10 centuries on his way to the £210,000 first prize, but what was key in his return to glory?Trump seals Shanghai Masters title with record 10th century

The bounding Bristolian finished his week at the elite 24-man Shanghai Masters feeling back on top of the world after managing to suspend the sense of destiny that had oddly eluded him and several other of the sport’s heavy hitters during the 48th World Championship in Sheffield two months ago.

Trump compiled a record 10 centuries during an all-conquering potting performance that justified his ‘Juddernaut’ moniker with nobody managing to finish within four frames of the world No. 2, who stylishly claimed the £210,000 first prize in Shanghai with one-sided wins over Mark Williams (6-2), Si Jiahui (6-2), Ronnie O’Sullivan (10-3) and Shaun Murphy (11-5).

Trump and China seem to be a marriage made in green baize Babylon this weather or any other weather, with table temperatures apparently perfect for his attacking instincts.

Trump’s celebrated naughty snooker has been enhanced by a no-nonsense attitude to his profession.

His maiden Shanghai Masters success followed his impressive trophy wins last term at the Wuhan Open and World Open in Yushan.

For the record, he rolled in eight centuries on his way to a 10-7 final win over Ali Carter in Wuhan, and another eight in his 10-4 World Open victory over Ding Junhui in March, a triumph that appeared to be the perfect preparation for the Crucible in April.

But the return to the UK for the sport’s biggest tournament did not work out for Trump or the majority of the sport’s other leading names with winner Kyren Wilson remarkably the only player from inside the top 16 to progress to the semi-finals of the event.

With 2015 Crucible conqueror Stuart Bingham – who defeated seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan 13-10 in the quarter-finals – and David Gilbert also progressing, it was the first time since 1977 that three qualifiers had reached the last four.

There was a general consensus that tighter pockets in Sheffield seemed to encourage a sensation of uncertainty with qualifier Jak Jones ending Trump’s hopes 13-9 in the quarter-finals before losing 18-14 to Wilson in the final.

Certainly, Trump in Shanghai cut a different figure from the player who toiled badly for consistency in Sheffield.

The stats would suggest that tighter pockets prohibit a free-for-all on the snooker table with more favourable conditions evident in the amount of centuries on display.

‘He was below par’ – White and McManus analyse Trump’s ‘mystery’ Crucible form

“Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan couldn’t adapt to the conditions,” said six-time world finalist Jimmy White on Eurosport. “The cloth, for me, was sort of pulling up, the pockets were tight for touch players.

“Take nothing away from Stuart Bingham. He’ll tell you the pockets are tight, you can miss anything, but he played fantastic. He cued beautifully.”

69 centuries were totted up in Wuhan last season, 95 centuries in Yushan and 112 at the International Championship won by Zhang Anda, who also rolled in a 147 break amid three centuries in a 10-6 win over Tom Ford in the final.

This is comparison to only 63 at the Crucible, the lowest return at the World Championship in a decade.

‘One of the great Crucible upsets’ – Jones seals shock win over Trump with 106 clearance

This year’s Shanghai Masters also went one better than last year, producing 36 centuries compared to 35 when O’Sullivan claimed his record-extending fifth victory in the city.

All of the qualifiers for the second ranking event of the season will be played behind closed doors.

discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer