Judd Trump makes brutal admission to UK snooker followers – ‘it is a wrestle’
Judd Trump has made a brutal admission to snooker fans as he admitted ‘it’s a struggle’ to get up for competing in events in the UK after moving to Hong Kong
Judd Trump made a brutal admission to UK snooker fans as he spoke about his new life in Hong Kong.
The snooker World No.1 moved to Hong Kong last year to be closer to his partner Maisy Ma and became a resident there at the end of 2024. Trump’s move perfectly highlights the global reach of the sport, but also spells a stark warning to UK fans.
Trump begins his World Grand Prix campaign in his new homeland on Tuesday against Gary Wilson. The tournament has moved outside of the UK for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2015.
Speaking to SportsBoom.com, Trump opened up about his move to Hong Kong, as the Bristol-born star admitted he spends as little time in England as possible.
“I really do enjoy every occasion I get to compete in Hong Kong. I love everything about Hong Kong and being able to play here for the first time as a Hong Kong resident is definitely a particularly meaningful event in my career,” he said.
“Since the Masters last year, I’ve been in Hong Kong all the time. I came back before the worlds for two weeks and the day before the English Open earlier this season.
“I try to spend as little time as possible over here [in England]. I’ll probably be in Dubai a bit more as well and I’ve managed to find somewhere to practice over there now.
“The amount of tournaments that are overseas now, it’s not as hard as when Marco Fu had to base his whole life over here for example. I can get by now with the amount of tournaments in China and the addition on Saudi. Having that balance has really been beneficial to my performances.”
Trump has been more selective with his calendar this season, skipping the Scottish and Welsh Opens, as he tries to avoid burnout ahead of the World Championship and prioritising aspects of his private life.
He said: “I do find it tougher now to come back to something like the English Open now. It’s a struggle to get up for events like that.
“In the future, especially if they add a few more events which there are rumours about, there will become a time where I’ll miss events where I don’t think the venues are fit to be holding the major events nowadays.”
The World Grand Prix’s prize pot has benefited from the rise in popularity of the sport overseas and moving to Hong Kong, with the overall pot increasing from £380,000 to £700,000, and the winner’s jackpot jumping from £100,000 to £180,000.
