Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry has warned Judd Trump that he is at a crossroads in his snooker career. Trump lost a 5-2 advantage on Saturday in his 6-5 Dafabet Masters semi-final with eventual runner-up Kyren Wilson at Alexandra Palace. It is now seven years since Trump, 28, won his sole Triple Crown title when he defeated Mark Allen to win the UK Championship.
Northern Ireland’s Allen was the man that denied Wilson in the Masters decider, but Hendry insists the world number three has got a major decision ahead of him. Trump has earned a reputation as one of game’s most daring players, often taking on challenging shots that others would refuse. In Saturday’s defeat he was roundly considered to have taken a liberty with one such attempt when leading 5-2, whilst his final shot in the deciding frame was a daring two-ball plant that went wrong and gifted Wilson his match-winning opening. Hendry says it is time for Trump to consider what he wants his legacy in snooker to be. “This defeat is very damaging for Judd and it will take a long time for him to get over it,” Hendry said of the loss to Wilson. “He doesn’t want to be known as the flair player with all the talent but no titles to his name. “He’s got to go away and think about the shots that cost him at the Masters.”
Trump is back in action on Tuesday at the Championship League Snooker event in Coventry. He features in Group 5 alongside Shaun Murphy, Barry Hawkins, Mark Williams, Liang Wenbo, Ricky Walden and Martin Gould. Trump is 4/6 to beat Murphy in his second game on Tuesday, while he is 6/1 to win the 2018 Championship League title.
Championship League Snooker odds available at Dafabet.