Judd Trump takes aim at critics after unconvincing win over Stuart Bingham to make final of The Masters
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Published 15/01/2023 at 08:16 GMT
Judd Trump hasn't convinced throughout The Masters, yet, somehow, he has made it to the final after a flattering 6-1 win over Stuart Bingham. But the 2019 winner believes he isn't far from his best and took aim at his critics. “I feel like people have been a little bit more critical than probably I deserve,” he said in the Eurosport studio. Mark Williams is Trump's opponent in Sunday's final.
Trump seals a 6-1 victory over Bingham to reach the final of The Masters
Judd Trump acknowledges that he hasn’t played to the best of his ability despite making the final of The Masters, but the 2019 winner is remaining positive as he took aim at his critics.
The former world No. 1 has not won a tournament since the Turkish Masters last March and has suffered final-frame losses at the German Masters, Scottish Open, UK Championship, Hong Kong Masters and British Open.
He rather fell over the line to beat Stuart Bingham in the semi-finals of The Masters on Saturday, with a 6-1 win flattering him after he failed to make a century. He will meet Mark Williams in Sunday’s final.
However, Trump believes that he is playing his way into form and that his best isn’t far away.
“I feel like people have been a little bit more critical than probably I deserve,” he said in the Eurosport studio.
“I’ve still been getting to finals. The Champion of Champions, the World final. I won Turkey. [Made] another Masters final.
“There’s a lot of big tournaments I've been doing well. Three 147s, stuff like that.
“It's not like I've been terrible, it's just the fact that the five and six events make it look like I've been playing badly. But no, I feel like my game is there."
He added: “I think I’m just so determined to do well. Even when I've not been at my best in the Triple Crowns - and I know I’ve still only won three - I'm giving myself a shot when I'm not playing well.
“There's probably people in the tournament, thinking: ‘You know, I'm playing much better than Judd’ - but they're sat at home now.”
Despite a series of misses in the semi-final, Trump kept composed and calm, and he insists he “felt really good” throughout the contest.
“It was just the odd shot here and there,” he added. “I felt like I was so close to really flying.
"In the end it was difficult because Stuart was really struggling; it was quite hard to play against, to be honest.
“I did feel good out there; completely different to the first two games, completely different feeling. I didn't care what I missed. I wasn't getting frustrated. It was nice to feel like that again, feel like myself out there from the very start.
“I felt like if he did come back and he did up his game, I felt like I had more in the tank there.
“In terms of feel, I felt brilliant out there. So hopefully I can come back tomorrow and feel like that and then I feel like I can put a good challenge up for Mark.
“But yeah, I'm going to have to probably raise my game again. I'm happy. I've not played well at all in this tournament, but I'm still in it, so, over the moon.”
“But yeah, I'm going to have to probably raise my game again. I'm happy. I've not played well at all in this tournament, but I'm still in it, so, over the moon.”
On Sunday's final, he continued: "It’s going to be an amazing atmosphere.
"This is only my second ever final here, and it [the previous final, back in 2019] was against Ronnie [O’Sullivan] and I produced maybe my best or second best ever performance there.
"So, a lot of good memories. Hopefully I can take them into tomorrow and get off to a quick start again. Relax, make a few centuries, win 10-0, go out in London!”
After explaining in detail his difficulties in having to play wearing a tie after his quarter-final win over Barry Hawkins, Trump was relieved to be back wearing a bow tie.
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'Dashing' 87 doubles Trump's lead against Bingham
“I told you, didn't I? I said I can't lose with the bow tie on,” he laughed before turning serious, adding: “I'm a lot more comfortable.
“I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but I felt a million times better out there. Just with the cueing, it was a lot more free.
“But yeah, back to the tie tomorrow afternoon.”
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