Judd Trump and Anthony McGill will face each other in the second round of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.
Judd Trump’s season so far
What a topsy-turvy 2021/22 season it has been for Judd Trump.
The 32 year-old has failed to lived up to the dizzying standard he produced throughout 2019 and 2020, but he has still bagged a brace of big trophies.
Trump claimed the prestigious Champion of Champions for the first time in his career with a dominant display – losing only five frames in four matches.
The 32 year-old also captured the inaugural Turkish Masters last month for his 23rd career ranking event crown.
There have been a lot of uncharacteristically sloppy performances too, though, and at times he has looked a little burnt out and disinterested.
Trump, the world champion from 2019, has reached at least the quarter-finals in each of his last four Crucible visits.
Anthony McGill’s season so far
The highlight for Anthony McGill during the 2021/22 campaign was reaching the semi-finals of the Scottish Open in December, when he lost to eventual champion Luca Brecel.
There were a couple of other appearances in ranking event quarter-finals, but other than that he has been missing from the business end of competitions.
Indeed, McGill’s status as a top player is a peculiar one, because he’s done very little overall across the past couple of years to warrant being a member of the elite.
For some reason the Scot appears to find his best form in Sheffield, however, and his top 16 ranking is effectively based on his recent displays at the Crucible.
McGill reached the last eight twelve months ago after dispatching of then defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in the last 16.
In 2020, he was involved in an epic semi-final with Kyren Wilson that produced one of the most dramatic climaxes in Crucible history.
What happened in the last 32?
Trump wasn’t at his free-scoring best but had more than enough experience to see off Crucible rookie Hossein Vafaei, 10-4.
The Englishman will have been pleased to get through the test relatively comfortably given how dangerous the Iranian talent can be.
McGill was given a sterner examination in his 10-7 victory over Liam Highfield, but once more experience in Sheffield ultimately proved to be the difference.
Head-to-head
Judd Trump and Anthony McGill have met nine times in total, and it doesn’t make for good reading for the latter.
McGill has only beaten the world number four on one occasion, way back at an old PTC event in 2014.
The verdict
McGill undoubtedly has a tendency to raise his standard when competing inside the Crucible arena.
After what was a fairly sloppy display in round one, he’ll likely have to do just that if he is to have any chance against Trump here.
Few are mentioning Trump as a candidate for World Championship glory this year, which would usually annoy him but this year might actually suit his chances.
Prediction: Judd Trump 13-9 Anthony McGill
Saturday, April 23rd – 2:30pm
Sunday, April 24th – 2:30pm
Monday, April 25th – 7pm
Featured photo credit: WST
