Judd needs a break to cure Crucible hangover
JUDD TRUMP is planning a boozy break after becoming the latest victim of the Crucible Curse.
The Juddernaut crashed out to fierce rival Kyren Wilson 13-9 in their Betfred World Championship quarter-final in Sheffield.
And that means that still no firsttime winner at the iconic theatre venue has ever returned to defend the title the following year.
World No.1 Trump, 30, was the tournament favourite and well-fancied to achieve what Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams all failed to do.
He came in on the back of a recordbreaking season having won six ranking titles, but Kettering’s Wilson, 28, (right) was too good over three sessions.
Trump said: “I wish I could just go on holiday now but I don’t know what I can and can’t do or where I can go.
“I’d love to go and get absolutely smashed for two weeks, somewhere in Cornwall maybe if I’m allowed. It’s been a long season and there are things to celebrate. But I’m very disappointed to not go further in the tournament.
“Last year I got the run of the balls at the right time, this year I didn’t.
“The Crucible Curse? Look, it is always going to be hard to defend – it is hard to win it any time. I have only won it once in about 15 tries, so the odds will be against it.
“If anyone does eventually end it, win and then defend, it will be some feat and really special.
“And if Kyren goes on to win it, he’s in (inset) my age group and I’d like that friendly rivalry for years to come.
“He is improving and will hopefully push my game on and we can take the game to a new level when the Class of ’92 of O’sullivan, Higgins and Williams retire.
“I didn’t feel bad out there,
I played some good stuff but Kyren played better and had a little run of the ball at crucial times. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen.”
Wilson, into his second Crucible semi-final, insisted that Trump’s recent achievements have given him a thirst for trophies world title.
He said: “It is one of the best wins of my life. To reach the semi-finals again by dethroning the world No.1 and world champion is even sweeter. “I would like to do what he has. Judd has already made it there, won lots including here at the Crucible. For me to get to that position I have to beat these players.
“I was really looking forward to playing Judd here, it is one of the only places we had never played.
“He is world No.1 and was reigning and defending world champion. If you can’t be up for that in a Crucible quarter-final, then you never will be.
“Because we are close in age Judd and I could be playing each other and having a rivalry, which is good fun, healthy and keeps us on our toes.”
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