Players Championship 2022 - Judd Trump says Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins are ‘in their own little world’ on form

Updated 09/02/2022 at 07:53 GMT

Having lost 6-3 to O’Sullivan in the first round of the Players Championship, Trump admitted that his opponent had been too good on the night and suggested that, when the Rocket is playing at his best, he and John Higgins are in a different bracket to everyone else. O’Sullivan will now face Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals.

Judd Trump was magnanimous in defeat

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Judd Trump has said Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins are “in their own little world” at the top of the game after losing 6-3 to the six-time world champion in the first round of the Players Championship.

O’Sullivan came up with a stellar performance to power past his rival and into the quarter-finals, where he will meet Neil Robertson.

It was the Rocket’s first win against Trump in almost three years, with breaks of 90, 83, 99, 62, 127 and 52 helping him to secure an inspired victory.

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Speaking to ITV after the match, Trump was magnanimous in defeat. “I didn’t really do that much wrong to be honest, Ronnie played brilliantly,” he said.

“When he plays well, you have to play your absolute best. I didn’t really play too badly, I didn’t make that many mistakes, he was just too good.”

Trump went on to suggest that, when O’Sullivan is on top form, he and Higgins are in a different bracket to everyone else. Higgins, who is looking to defend his Players Championship crown, will be firm favourite when he takes on Hossein Vafaei in the first round on Wednesday.

“It was just one of them games where, when someone as good as Ronnie plays well, you’re going to struggle,” said Trump. “You just have to go away and come back for another time.

“It’s tough. Him and John Higgins are, for me, in their own little world when they play well. I’ve beaten [O’Sullivan] the last three times and I always know there’s going to be a backlash at some point [when I’m playing] against him.

“But, to be honest, it is always enjoyable playing him and I’m not disappointed. I practised hard, he was just too good on the day.”

O’Sullivan, meanwhile, joked that he was looking forward to a “nice, easy match” against Robertson in the quarters.

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