Judd Trump Wins 2020 World Grand Prix Title

The Englishman held off a spirited fight back to add to his previous victories in 2015 and 2019.

Judd Trump has won the 2020 World Grand Prix after an entertaining 10-7 victory over Jack Lisowski in Sunday’s final at the Marshall Arena.

In a fitting climax to what has been a turbulent calendar year as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the world number one captured a third ranking crown of the season and a sixth of the year overall.

Adding to his triumphs in the English and Northern Ireland Opens this campaign, Trump moves to sixth on the all-time list on his own with 20 career ranking trophies, now one ahead of rivals Mark Selby and Neil Robertson.

The undisputed world number one, Trump pushes further clear at the top of the rankings list with another £100,000 winner’s cheque in his back pocket.

Trump was never behind in the 2020 World Grand Prix final and at one point looked as though he was going to coast to a comprehensive success over his close friend.

Lisowski, in his fourth ranking final and bidding to secure a maiden piece of silverware at this level, didn’t settle in the first session which ultimately proved very costly.

Trump took advantage by compiling a break of 122 and four additional runs above 50 to establish a 6-2 first-session advantage.

That quickly became 7-2 upon the evening’s resumption of play, when the 31 year-old responded to the challenger’s initial knock of 53 with a telling 66 clearance to edge nearer the winning line.

Indeed, a number of pivotal clearances in the second session proved pivotal as Lisowski suddenly shifted through the gears in relentless fashion.

Finally demonstrating the talent at his disposal, the 29 year-old reeled off four frames on the trot with quick-fire breaks of 99, 112, 87, and 95 to trail by only one.

Parity looked a certainty when a decent turn of 50 gave him the upper hand in the 14th frame, but Trump responded with a magnificent 57 to stop the rot.

Lisowski won the next frame to stay in the hunt, but Trump was not to be denied.

A break of 78 took him to within the brink of glory, one that he duly sealed upon pinching the next frame on the black.

On the night in which Ronnie O’Sullivan was on the shortlist for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, Trump underlined his credentials as the undoubted best player in the game at present.

Trump deserves all the plaudits as he continues to produce one stellar week of performances after another on the Main Tour, and it’s almost a surprise now if he isn’t featuring in the title-deciding contest of a tournament.

The “Juddernaut” still tallies the big breaks – he has 49 centuries this term so far – but his ability now to also grind out results when things aren’t going all his own way is what’s setting him apart from the chasing pack.

So that’s it for snooker in 2020. The fact we’ve had so many great tournaments is down to the players & hard work of so many people backstage, some of whom have been away from their families for many weeks. Huge, sincere thanks to all of them & well done to @WeAreWST and partners

— David Hendon (@davehendon) December 20, 2020

For Lisowski, it’s disappointment suffered at the last hurdle for a fourth time in his career, and he’ll be left to rue a poor start to the encounter in which his nerves seemed to get the better of him.

Yet, the level of play that he conjured in the second session suggests that he will, eventually, put it all together at the right time and etch his name onto a big trophy.

The 2020 World Grand Prix brings an end to snooker in this calendar year, and it’s Trump who rounded it off in style.

Featured photo credit: WST