Ronnie O Sullivan Rub Salts in Trapps Wounds after an Emphatic Victory

Ronnie O’Sullivan delivered a blistering assessment of Judd Trump’s performance after triumphing over his rival in the Masters of Snooker semi-final held in Saudi Arabia. In a match where both players failed to reach their usual standards, the ‘Rocket’ comfortably sailed through with a 4-1 victory, securing a spot in the final against Luca Brecel.

Despite taking a commanding 2-0 lead with a century break, the world No.1 lost momentum, allowing Trump to claw back a frame before squandering a chance to level the match with a costly missed green. This error encapsulated Trump’s performance, as he repeatedly failed to capitalize on opportunities, with his typically reliable positional play deserting him.

O’Sullivan did not mince words in his post-match interview with Eurosport, stating, “It wasn’t great (the match). Judd was probably the worst I’ve ever seen him. I think I dragged him down to my level, which seems to be happening most of the season.” Despite playing well in his previous match, O’Sullivan expressed disappointment at his inability to maintain consistency across consecutive games.

Furthermore, O’Sullivan expressed a greater concern for playing well in the final than for winning, and humorously dismissed the idea of heading to the practice table during the 60-minute interval, stating, “I think I’ll go for a few cigarettes after that performance.”

Trump, 34, was equally critical of his own display, acknowledging, “I didn’t play very well. I felt terrible and I felt shaky. It’s the worst I’ve played in a long time, and even when he was leaving me chances, I knew I was going to miss.”

O’Sullivan will now face Belgian world champion Brecel in the final, who secured his place with a 4-2 victory over Mark Allen. Like his opponent, Brecel remained composed and was not planning to become overly pumped up during the wait for the final showdown.