Judd Trump Triumphs Over Barry Hawkins in UK Snooker Championship Final, Securing £1 Million in 2024 Earnings
JUDD TRUMP has finally ended a 13-year drought by claiming the UK Championship, securing a delightful £1million bonus this Christmas.
The Juddernaut has proven to be the top performer in the sport this season, but he had to fight hard for this latest victory, defeating Barry Hawkins 10-8 in front of 1,200 spectators at the Barbican.
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The world No.1 will now receive a cheque for £250,000, having accumulated over £1million in prize money across just ten events since the summer.
Kyren Wilson is the current world champion, while Ronnie O’Sullivan holds the title of the greatest player ever, but Trump, at 35, is undeniably the top player on the globe right now.
York has not always favored Trump since his first victory in 2011.
However, he will cherish this moment as he raised his fifth Triple Crown title, equaling the late Alex Higgins.
This week has been particularly emotional for Hawkins, who missed the funeral of his club-room mentor last Wednesday as he was set to compete against David Gilbert in the second round.
It has also been a grueling week, and just twelve hours after his lengthy 1am semi-final win, which crossed into December, a weary Hawkins found himself back at the table by 1pm.
With his sleep disrupted, the concern was how much his previous exhausting match against Mark Allen would impact his performance on this significant day.
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As he walked down the steps of the arena, he was met with a standing ovation, but fatigue didn’t hinder him in frame two where he executed a stunning 116 break.
His energy levels appeared undimmed as he fiercely contested frame four, making an impressive comeback.
The Kent player thrillingly made a comeback from 69-0 down – Trump’s
What made this feat even more remarkable was his back arm trembled with nervous energy during the clearance.
Trump answered back by winning the next three consecutive frames, with a break of 102 marking his tenth century of the tournament.
Hawkins, however, managed to keep himself in contention by reaching a 5-3 score heading into the evening session, responding to Trump’s 51 with an 81 break.
The qualifier performed admirably, but each time he narrowed the frame margin, Trump had a swift reply.
In frame 15, Trump recorded a 133 break, his 11th century of the event and his highest score overall. Hawkins then closed the gap to 9-8 with breaks of 75 and 82, but a missed red opportunity in frame 18 halted his momentum.
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A tense safety exchange did occur, with Hawkins needing two snookers, but Trump maintained his composure throughout a 34-minute standoff to prevent it from going to a deciding final frame.
Hawkins’s struggles to secure a Triple Crown title continue, as this loss adds to his defeats in the World Championship and two Masters finals.
If he wasn’t already weary of competing against Trump, he was drawn to face him again in the first round of the Masters at Ally Pally next month.