Championship League snooker: 'People try to discredit it' – Judd Trump hits back at critics
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ByEurosport
Updated 09/02/2021 at 23:14 GMT
Judd Trump moved ahead of Stephen Hendry as the third most prolific century break builder of all time in reaching the Championship League group winners' final in Milton Keynes. The world number one made his 778th career ton in a 3-0 win over Mark Selby in the Group 4 final, three more than seven-times world champion Hendry's 775 with only Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins now ahead of him.
Judd Trump
Image credit: Eurosport
World number one Judd Trump became the third most prolific century maker of all time in qualifying for the Championship League final winners' group in Milton Keynes before hitting out at the critics who have sneered at his achievements.
Trump recorded his 776th century break with a 138 in a 3-0 win over Mark Selby in the final Group 4 match before completing another 3-0 win over Selby in the final as a lovely run of 102 saw him move onto 778 tons, three clear of Scottish icon Hendry's 775 in snooker's hall of fame centurions.
Century 777 came courtesy of a 131 in edging out Kyren Wilson 3-2 from 2-0 behind in the last four.
The Bristolian occupies third place behind Ronnie O'Sullivan (1079) and John Higgins (822), but is on course to become the most prolific century maker in the game's history being 14 years younger than his fellow two green baize icons.
Trump has already lifted the English Open, Northern Ireland Open, World Grand Prix and German Masters this season in strengthening his position at the top of the game's rankings, but refutes claims he is making more centuries due to more events on the circuit.
"It's special for me. Even though people try to discredit it because there are more tournaments, I'm probably better frame per century ratio," said Trump, who turned professional in 2005.
I'm scoring as heavy as anybody has ever scored. I've just got to keep doing my thing on the table, playing the way I play, playing my shots and enjoying myself.
"Over the next couple of years there is a chance for me, if I can keep this form up, to win as many titles as possible."
Trump joins Higgins, Zhou Yuelong and Graeme Dott in the winners' group on April 1-2 when the Championship League concludes.
He returns to action when he meets world number 103 Zhao Jianbo in the first round of the Welsh Open (February 15-21) at Celtic Manor next week.
Trump is chasing a first Welsh Open title and a £150,000 bonus from the BetVictor Series. Trump leads the series on £120,500 with Selby second on £108,000 before the final two events of the series at the Welsh and Gibraltar Opens.
"It's exciting, a different place. Everybody is excited to go and play in Wales again. It will be nice to get out of Milton Keynes for a tournament," said Trump.
"It's an important tournament for me and Mark, it's probably going to be between us two.
"There's a lot of money up for grabs and I've haven't won the Welsh Open so it would be nice to get that on the CV."
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