Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson are the top two players in the world at the moment and their rivalry looks set to be one of the stories of this season. It will be interesting to see if it remains such a friendly one.
Wilson romped to a 9-3 win over Trump in the Northern Ireland Open final on Sunday and claimed the title, which Judd has won on four occasions, for the first time.
It is the second time that the Warrior has beaten the Ace in a final this season, having become the first ever Xi’an Grand Prix champion in August.
As the reigning world champion and with two big wins over Trump since Crucible glory, Wilson appears to have the upper hand over his rival, but it is the Ace who is sitting pretty as world number one after a six ranking titles since the start of last season.
After claiming the trophy in Belfast on Sunday, Wilson said: ‘What Judd has been achieving lately is inspiring, to be as dominant as he has been with the level and standard on tour nowadays is absolutely phenomenal.
‘I don’t know where he gets the stamina from. It’s got to be applauded, he makes me raise my game and we can’t keep relying on the Class of 92 all the time. I’m glad I’m up there with him and competing. It’s good for the future of snooker.’
The world champ added: ‘Winning a final is hard enough, let alone playing the world number one and most consistent player on the tour at the moment. To win quite comfortably is very flattering on myself. I have taken away the burden of backing up being world champion. I’m proving it is no fluke.
‘We all know Judd is capable of reeling frames off in a row. It was about doing the right things. I turned up an hour before this evening’s session when nobody would have blamed me for turning up ten minutes before thinking it was won. You can’t allow that to happen against Judd.’
Trump was equally complimentary, saying: ‘Kyren was obviously too good today. The way he has bounced back after winning the World Championship is inspiring. It’s nice to see someone that’s able to kick on with that. Hopefully in the future we can have many more battles.’
Even before the game, Trump was talking up the rivalry that is already on show and is set to grow, but in entirely respectful and friendly terms.
‘It is a great match up with Kyren,’ he said ahead of the final. ‘Over the next 10 years, with his hunger and my hunger, we are going to be meeting a lot.
‘It’s nice to have someone pushing me and going away to give their all every single time. It is good to have that kind of rivalry when you reach the top and we are both really enjoying it.
‘I think he has improved a lot. From where he was a couple of years ago he has gone to another level. Him playing a lot faster has helped. He was very methodical, but he now looks like he enjoys what he’s doing.
‘You can see a difference in him. The way he walks round the table is different. I had the same thing as well. It is nice to see someone who has become world champion go away and really work at it.’
This is all good stuff, with Trump 35 years old and Wilson turning 33 in December we have a very current rivalry which could last for a long time to come.
The top two in the world rankings are bound to meet again this season, with their names two of a select few that will be in every single draw over the campaign.
We are set for great battles on the baize and the respect they show each other is exemplary, but we might just need a bit of disrespect for the rivalry to launch into the mainstream and really elevate the game in the public’s consciousness.
They really were lovely scenes in Belfast as Kyren’s son Bailey gave Trump a hug after the match and then the players exchanged compliments, but there probably needs to be a bit of edge to the contests at some stage to really get more tongues wagging, headlines written and tickets sold.
Friendly rivalries are all well and good, but we saw at last year’s World Championship when Ronnie O’Sullivan and Hossein Vafaei traded barbs how much interest that can create outside of the usual circles.
We may well not get that from these two who are ultimately very nice, non-confrontational blokes, but there has been at least a thin slice of beef between them in the past.
Speaking back in 2018, Trump said of Wilson: ‘With his personality and mine, it clashes a little bit.
‘People are looking for rivals for the future and I think us two are probably going to be that. I have never really had an issue with Kyren. I try to avoid confrontation. Now and again you will get personalities that clash and me and Kyren are complete opposites off the table.’
The beef was shelved, though, with Wilson telling Metro in 2020: ’I think it’s a really healthy rivalry, actually. We did a couple of exhibitions in Germany in January and we got on really well, had a laugh.
‘At the end of the day, we’re going to be two players up there for years to come and its great for the game that we have this going on really.
‘Snooker’s a gentleman’s game and, more or less, everyone gets on with everyone. You might have your odd bogey player who you desperately want to beat, but there’s no fisticuffs or anything in snooker.
‘The media have to do their job and it only promotes the game so I understand it.’
So the chances of the rivalry getting seriously spicy might be quite distant, although Trump is unlikely to take losing finals to Wilson well forever.
We are sure to see plenty of cracking games between these two in the months and years to come, and if the pair remain as cordial as they were in Belfast then it will be a fantastic advert for the sport.
Not every rivalry needs to be tinged with disdain, but the devil in some fans might like to see just a bit of it.
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