Stephen Hendry has highlighted Judd Trump’s weakness in long frame matches as the reason he may not win the 2025 World Snooker Championship.
World No. 1 Trump, whose only triumph at the Crucible came in 2019, is the bookies’ favourite heading into the tournament, set to be played from April 19 to May 5. That is despite poor performances in recent years from The Ace on the biggest stage, with Kyren Wilson winning last year’s world title instead.
Seven-time world champion Hendry, speaking on his podcast Stephen Hendry’s Cue Tips, told fellow snooker icon Jimmy White that Trump is his “favourite” when it comes to his prediction for the world title in two months’ time. But he added the caveat that the Bristolian has often struggled at the Crucible and would need to overcome that personal hurdle.
The Scot began by saying: “You’ve got to make Judd your favourite but I don’t think he likes the long frame matches,” to which White said: “Well he does in finals, doesn’t he?”
Hendry continued: “I don’t know. Since he won it, I’ve not seen him play well at the Crucible. I don’t know for what reason. It’s hard to pick a favourite.”
The World Snooker Championship remains the ultimate trial of skill and endurance. While the early rounds consist of a best of 19 frames format, Round 2 and the quarter-finals are the best of 25 frames, the semi-finals are best of 33 frames, and the final is a whopping best of 35 (first to 18 frames).
Since his victory in 2019, Trump has reached the quarter-finals in consecutive years, in 2020 and 2021. He reached the final at the 2022 tournament and endured more disappointment in 2023 and 2024, where he was knocked out of the last 32 and the quarters, respectively.
Trump’s last major victory came at the 2024 UK Championship in December, where he edged out Barry Hawkins. He only required 10 frames to win, but he won the best of 19 frames affair.
Trump won the World Championship in Sheffield for the first time in 2019, beating John Higgins 18-9. He made a record seven centuries in the final, a performance described by Steve Davis as “the controlled annihilation of a great player”, completing his Triple Crown (having previously won the UK Championship and the Masters).