Judd Trump says there is no substitute for hard work after his ‘no days off’ approach took him to a second UK Championship title on Sunday.
The world number one continued his fabulous season so far with a 10-8 win over Barry Hawkins at the Barbican in York, lifting the trophy again 13 years after his first UK triumph.
The Ace finished last season with a disappointing Crucible defeat to Jak Jones in the quarter-finals, but has shone so far this campaign, winning the Shanghai Masters and Saudi Arabia Masters before his latest victory.
It was a perilously difficult run to the title for Trump, facing Neil Robertson in the opening round, followed by clashes with John Higgins, Zhang Anda and Kyren Wilson before the Hawk in the final.
Asked if he had one piece of advice for youngsters looking to replicate his immense success, the 35-year-old told Eurosport: ‘Put your phone down and put the hard work in, I think that’s the main thing.
‘To me there’s no weekend, every day is the same for me. I’ve always been like that from a young age and even more so when I turned professional.
‘There’s no weekend off, every day is the same day, every day is Monday to me. I practice seven days a week if I can, I would never ever take a day off out of choice, really.’
The Bristolian has taken his tally to 30 rankings titles, behind only Ronnie O’Sullivan (41), Stephen Hendry (36) and John Higgins (31) and he feels that treating each and every tournament he enters equally is how he has racked up so many trophies.
‘That’s why my record is so good,’ he said. ‘You get people when they win the Triple Crowns telling you they target them, but no one can target a tournament. You just go out there and play your best every event otherwise why are you there?
‘People say some of the smaller events are easier to win, but it’s the same players there. You go through the same emotions, you’re trying your best, it’s no easier to win.’
Hawkins put up a brilliant battle in the final in York, having also come through a monstrously difficult draw as he downed O’Sullivan, Dave Gilbert, Shaun Murphy and Mark Allen to reach the showpiece.
The Hawk was left in no doubt that he had lost to the finest player on the planet, though, as he congratulated the champion.
‘I’ve beat some great players and I’ve lost to the best player in the world at the moment,’ he said. ‘He’s such a fantastic player, his all round game is phenomenal. It’s no disgrace losing to that man over there.’
Trump is now eyeing up more of the sport’s most prestigious titles, with the Masters coming up in January and then the biggest of them all in Sheffield in April.
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‘It would be absolutely incredible to win the Masters and the World Championship,’ he said. ‘I don’t see a reason why I can’t. I’m playing well enough, I’m dedicated enough, hungry enough.
‘It would be amazing to be the first person to win the four majors now with Saudi.’
The £250,000 top prize in York also saw Trump soar past the £1m mark in prize money this season already and with plenty of big events still to come he fancies becoming the first ever player to hit £2m won in one campaign.
‘It would be nice to reach £2m,’ he said. ‘It’s never been done before.’
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