Trump beats Hawkins to win 2024 UK Championship for 2nd Time

UK Championship final: Judd Trump beats Barry Hawkins 10-8 to win second UK title since 2011.






Judd Trump claimed his second UK Championship title with a hard-fought 10-8 victory over Barry Hawkins at the Barbican in York.

Only Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and John Higgins have won more than the 35-year-old's tally of 30 ranking titles.

Trump had to endure a stirring fightback from Hawkins, who fought back from 9-6 to 9-8 and almost got the two snookers he required in a dramatic 18th frame to force a decider.

Trump, who won his previous UK crown in 2011, now has five Triple Crown titles - the same number as Alex Higgins but 18 fewer than O'Sullivan - having also won the Masters twice and the World Championship once in his career.

The world number one led 5-3 going into Sunday evening's concluding session and knocked in two half-century breaks to retain his two-frame advantage at 7-5 going into the interval.

Hawkins, 45, searching for his first Triple Crown title 28 years after turning professional, took the next and looked well-placed to level the match at 7-7 before running out of position, allowing his opponent to pull clear again.

Trump compiled a sublime break of 133 - his highest of the tournament - as he opened up a 9-6 lead but a gutsy response saw Hawkins enjoy runs of 75 and 82 before his resistance was finally broken as he narrowly missed out on a deciding frame.

With Trump securing the £250,000 top prize, he has now tasted success at the two most lucrative ranking events on the Tour this term - having also triumphed at the Saudi Arabia Masters - to cement his status at the top of the world rankings.

Hawkins, who earned £100,000 as runner-up, had been bidding to become the oldest first-time winner of a Triple Crown event.



____


0 Comments