German Masters 2021 - 'A one-in-a-thousand shot' – Judd Trump produces miracle shot
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Updated 29/01/2021 at 17:52 GMT
Is there anyone playing better snooker than Judd Trump at the moment? The world number one is in fluent form and he showed it off on Friday during his match against Ding Junhui. Faced with a troublesome red, Trump produced a moment of pure genius to get the ball in play and ensure that he could seal the frame.
Judd Trump at the German Masters (World Snooker)
Image credit: Eurosport
Every so often a snooker player produces a shot that is so good, all you want to do is watch it again and again.
There are a couple a of tell-tale signs when this has just happened. Firstly the commentators will immediately start giggling and blushing like schoolchildren and the second is that there will be replays of every angle.
A shot of this magnitude was played by the world number one Judd Trump on Friday afternoon during his match at the German Masters with Ding Junhui.
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'Criminally good!' - Trump wonder shot has commentators purring
In the second frame Trump, who was already a frame up, was in control with a half-century break on-going.
After sinking a red to the middle Trump was on the black with the final red stuck on the side cushion.
“Getting on the red from here is not easy,” Eurosport pundit Neal Foulds observed on commentary as Trump sized up his options.
“He’s always been very good at playing right around the table through baulk, but it’s not a natural this time, I don’t think he can get to the red unless he plays it with check side.” Foulds continued.
Trump did exactly that and as the ball stunned on the back cushion Foulds was beside himself.
“Oh he’s tried it, what about this, what about this! That is a fantastic, absolutely fantastic shot!"
Foulds was effusive in his praise, saying: “We’ve seen him play similar shots on the other side of the table but you could not see a better shot played positionally, it’s not a shot really that would come up very often - he’s invented it."
Foulds’ co-commentator Dave Hendon called it “criminally good” and Trump completed the century, his 50th of the season.
'A one-in-a-thousand shot'
Trump said the shot ranked among his very best, drawing parallels with a similar shot he played at the Northern Ireland Open in 2019.
"It’s one of my special shots. It’s something that doesn’t come off very often, especially going straight over the pocket," Trump told WST.
“It was very hard to play because I’m using check side instead of running side, which I would normally play it with.
“For me it’s just one of those shots you appreciate how hard it actually is to play, even as a professional playing for so long.
“It’s a one-in-a-thousand shot. I did another one recently in the Alex Higgins Trophy [Northern Ireland Open 2019]. That one was just as special.
“This one was slightly easier because there was no pressure on but it was still a special moment.”
A moment of magic from the best player in the world. But was it even better that his famous effort from Belfast in 2019?
You can watch them both below...
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Two incredible Judd Trump shots - but which was better?
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