World Snooker Championship Final: Judd Trump beats John Higgins 18-9 at the Crucible
Judd Trump became world champion for the first time following a sparkling display of snooker that saw him beat John Higgins 18-9 in the final of the Betfred World Championship at the Crucible.
Trump fired a record-equalling seven centuries in a high-quality final that featured 11 of them - a Crucible high for a single match - before closing out the match in frame 27, a nerveless run of 62 taking him over the winning line to the joy of his family who were watching on in the crowd.
A visibly emotional Trump shared a warm embrace with Higgins at the finish, an opponent who has for so long had his number but not here, the left-hander overpowering the four-time world champion with the type of fearless snooker that might well herald a new era of domination in the sport.
The foundations for Trump's victory were laid on Sunday evening when Trump won eight frames on the bounce with some breathtaking snooker, the like of which rarely seen in a match with such high stakes as a World Championship final.
Trump potted from distance with frightening regularity while all the time using his pinpoint cue-ball control to reel off three centuries in that session alone, leaving Higgins facing a seven-frame overnight deficit.
If Trump's nerves were to be tested, the sight of Higgins kicking off proceedings on Sunday with a fabulous break of 113 could have been the trigger, the Scot potting 14 reds and blacks before finding a brilliant doubled red into the corner pocket, only to miss the subsequent black off the spot with the 147 maximum break seemingly at his mercy.
Another visit of 59 in the very next frame reduced Higgins' arrears further but Trump found the perfect answer, clinically compiling breaks of 101, 71 and 126 to reaffirm his dominance and leave Higgins fast running out of options.
Higgins wouldn't lay down, though, the brilliant standard maintained when the veteran won the next two frames thanks to breaks of 67 and 70 before Trump again found the counter punch, another century and another wonderful attempt at maximum break ending on 104.
When the players returned for the evening session, Trump seemingly had one hand on the World Championship trophy with his 16-9 lead meaning he was only two frames from snooker immortality.
The expected late nerves never came - Trump had already done the hard work - and for a third year in a row there was no way back for Higgins who had to watch on as Trump produced another flawless break, this time a match-winning one of 62, to seal his first world title.
A delighted Trump said afterwards: "Incredible. I can't put it into words - I've worked so hard for this and for the people around me, it's so special.
"It was an amazing final and the standard from the very first session and the very first ball was amazing.
"John is such a great player. I always seem to raise my game and still don't beat him. Every time I play him I always play amazing and he beats me every time.
"That's the best I've played in a major final."
As snooker hailed a brilliant winner and welcomed its new King, the rest of the sport, including Higgins, was left to look on in awe and ponder what might be to come.
Higgins said: "I was the lucky one as I didn't have to pay for a ticket, he was just awesome. I was lucky to get nine frames.
"I've just said to him, 'that's the first of many' producing a standard like that. It was incredible."
For Trump, the new champion of the world, he can now look to take the sport to even greater heights than those who have come before him.
Judd Trump 18-9 John Higgins
Session 1
- 66-1 (51), 72-45 (63), 0-139 (139), 105-0 (105), 8-70 (69), 0-74, 0-101 (101), 103-4 (103)
Session 2
- 1-125 (125), 66-0, 139-4 (135), 67-45, 118-0 (114), 65-30, 95-28 (71), 70-20 (58), 85-19 (70)
Session 3
0-113 (113), 35-60 (59), 101-0 (101), 72-0 (71), 126-0 (126), 16-92 (67), 11-79 (70), 104-0 (104)
Session 4
- 94-0 (94), 63-1 (62)
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