Judd Trump pulls out of snooker's Scottish Open to prioritise World Championship bid
Judd Trump has pulled out of the Scottish Open snooker.
The Ace in the Pack, 35, extended his lead as world number one as he ended a 13-year wait for a second UK title last weekend, dumping out Scotland's John Higgins on the way to glory, but says he's now going to limit his playing time - to focus on his bid for a second World Championship in April. Trump is already halfway to the ‘Trump Slam’ having pocketed the Saudi Arabia Masters and UK Championship, but now says that he has his eyes firmly fixed on next month’s Masters and a second Crucible Crown.
“I don’t think I’m going to play a lot of snooker in the next few months,” admitted Trump, who has amassed a staggering near record £1.17million already this season. "I would rather be at the peak of my form towards the end of the season. Missing events like the Scottish and the Welsh is probably the best thing for me this season because I’ve potentially got to the World Championship burned out in some seasons.
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“The way my seasons have been the last couple of years I’ve faded away at the end of the season. I don’t want that to happen again. The worst thing for me is if you win a small event in the build up than you’re far less likely to win the World Championship, to go 13 or 14 games unbeaten is difficult with the standard where it is now.”
After lifting his second UK Championship title at the York Barbican last week, Trump dismissed comparisons with Ronnie O'Sullivan, insisting that the standard of competition he has to face now is the highest it has ever been.
The 2019 champion has gone to Sheffield in red-hot form in recent years before falling flat on the game’s biggest stage. The Bristol-born star was the overwhelming favourite, and would have broken the famous Crucible curse, in 2020 having pocketed a record six rankings titles.
Trump has also failed to etch his name among the sport’s multiple world champions in 2021 and, earlier this year after dominating with five ranking crowns, he added: “The UK Championship was a real aim for me to do well in. “There’s going to be a lot more tournaments that I’ll miss.
“With the prize money I’ve won this season already I don’t need to chase the money or the ranking points. Because I don’t hold tournaments any bigger than other ones, my brain doesn’t really process any tournament as being bigger. If I skip the smaller ones and I happen to win a tournament it’s going to be a big one.
“Sometimes you have to remember the best thing can be losing or skipping the smaller ones like the Welsh where I don’t love going to the venue as much. That way I can really prioritise the real big ones.”
