Judd Trump Questions ‘Strange’ Cue Balls After Players Championship Final Loss

Judd Trump Raises Concerns Over 'Strange' Cue Balls in Snooker Final Loss

Snooker star Judd Trump expressed his frustration with the playing conditions after narrowly losing the Players Championship final to Kyren Wilson on Sunday. The thriller concluded with a 10-9 scoreline, but Trump felt the match balls were not up to standard compared to the rest of the tournament.

Speaking candidly to ITV after the match, the former world number one shared, "The balls were playing a bit tricky, it wasn't like the rest of the tournament where I was able to play free-flowing. I don't know what the difference was today. It was very, very strange and I don't think I've ever experienced that before in a tournament."

Trump, known for his smooth playing style, believed the atypical ball behavior hindered both players' performances. He elaborated, "It was tricky. It was tricky for both of us. The ball was very light and it was taking off like a ping-pong ball."

The 33-year-old had high expectations for an exciting clash with Wilson but felt let down by the circumstances. "It was difficult because coming into the game, I thought it was going to be a brilliant standard. Me and Kyren have played some great stuff in the tournament. But it bogged us both down a little bit. It was not disappointing but we weren't able to play our best."

Both competitors voiced their concerns to the match referee about the cue balls, which seemed to play differently than in previous rounds.

Despite the setback, Trump remains optimistic about his chances in upcoming events. He reflected, "[A win] doesn't have to be against him, it can be against anyone. If I get to another final then I'm doing something right. It's great for snooker to have these tight games and I hope next time the conditions are perfect and we can put on some brilliant snooker."

Though visibly disappointed by the loss, the ace looks ahead to major tournaments on the horizon like the Tour Championship and the World Championship in April. Trump believes he is still in strong form to claim a big title soon.

The unexpected issues with the match balls added an extra layer of drama to the already tense final. As two of snooker's biggest stars, Trump and Wilson both had to adapt their games to the tricky conditions.

Key Takeaways:

• Judd Trump felt the cue balls in the Players Championship final were not playing normally compared to earlier rounds
• Both Trump and Kyren Wilson found it difficult to produce their best snooker due to the "strange" ball behavior
• Trump remains positive about his chances in upcoming major tournaments despite the narrow loss
• The unusual playing conditions added an element of unpredictability to the thrilling match