Judd Trump claimed a second Masters title with an epic late-night battling display on Sunday to spoil the party for veteran Mark Williams. The Juddernaut stood up to everything the wily 47-year-old could throw at him at Alexandra Palace to run out a 10-8 winner and pocket the £250,000 first prize.
It was a hugely important and timely win for world number four Trump, 33, who has attracted some criticism for not winning enough of the biggest events the sport has to offer. But this was a fourth major to go with his successes at the World Championship and the UK Championship, enabling him to lift once more the Paul Hunter Trophy.
However, there was serious disappointment for Williams, who celebrates his 48th birthday in just 65 days’ time. Had he prevailed, that would have smashed the record for being the oldest ever winner of a snooker major set by fellow Welshman Doug Mountjoy at the UK Championship in 1988.
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Fate certainly played a key part in this Trump triumph. He really should have been beaten by Ryan Day in the first round, who had plenty of chances to knock him out from 5-3 up. And there was another deciding-frame 6-5 win over Barry Hawkins in the quarter-finals, before a far more convincing 6-1 win against Stuart Bingham to reach the final.
It has been a patchy season for Trump, who did get to the final of the Champion of Champions but has failed to fire at most venues. So this victory was particularly sweet.
The two players from different snooker eras received a huge ovation as they entered the Alexandra Palace arena at the start of the final, and that was to be replicated in the evening. Both already had their place in Masters history, with this year marking the 25th anniversary of the first of Williams’ two successes at the old Wembley Conference Centre venue. That was the famous re-spotted black final that saw the Welshman edge out friend and rival Stephen Hendry 10-9 in 1998 in the most dramatic and thrilling of climaxes.
Williams beat Hendry again in 2003 when the left-hander was at the peak of his powers, while Trump’s 2019 Masters title saw him emphatically see off Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final.
World number eight Williams was the oldest Masters finalist since Ray Reardon at 50 had lost to Cliff Thorburn 40 years ago. And with the event taking place under a cloud of an ongoing match-fixing investigation seeing 10 Chinese player suspended, it felt like the occasion needed a spectacle.
Williams started with a 138 total clearance but Trump soon led 4-1, helped by breaks of 61, 106 and 73. Breaks of 100 and 60 helped Williams trim the deficit to 5-3 ahead of the evening session.
After trailing 7-6, Trump won a 57-minute 14th frame to level at 7-7. And after a Williams effort of 107, the Juddernaut found his best at the death. A break of 59 put Trump back into the lead with two bites at the cherry to close out the contest. And after a missed red from his opponent, he gleefully claimed the spoils with a 126 to finish.
Trump said: “It is incredible. I got outplayed for the whole game really and at 8-7 down I was gone. I just managed to play well at the end. I should have been out in the first round, and the second round – I am like a cat. I have missed balls over pockets by miles.
“So I think the way it has all gone this is by far my best ever win and performance to grind out the title and battle the way I have. A lot of people played better than I did, but I did a Mark Selby job on everyone."
Williams said: “It was a great match all the way through and Judd made a fabulous century in the last frame to win – that’s what great players do. He was just a bit too strong at the end.
“I am not a young man any more but I am still giving these youngsters a run for their money. I can’t beat him, but I am getting close and I could not have given any more. It has been a brilliant week.”
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
