Trump ‘Worried’ Despite Second 6-0 Win
Judd Trump made it two consecutive 6-0 wins at the Betway UK Championship by white-washing Chris Wakelin, but admitted he wishes he could play stress-free snooker.
World number two Trump followed up his 6-0 first round win over Matthew Bolton with another comfortable victory, needing just 99 minutes to beat Wakelin with a top break of 61.
Trump won this event in 2011 but that remains his only Triple Crown title and the 28-year-old believes that he needs changes to his game and his mindset in order to fulfil his potential.
“I want to do better in these Triple Crown events where there is more pressure,” said the Bristolian, who has won eight ranking titles overall including this season’s European Masters. “I have been working hard but so has everyone else. The way I have played this season has been my worst for about five years.
“I think I got into the mindset that I didn’t have to practise hard, and now it has caught up with me. My game isn’t where it should be and I’d be surprised if I do well in this tournament. I am trying a few new things and that takes a while to take effect.
“The confidence I had when I broke through is not there any more. Now there is no real freedom and I want to get back to the time when I could just enjoy playing and not worry. It’s more stressful now. Maybe I have too much expectation and I need to be more relaxed, and play the way I do at the end of a frame when it’s already won.
“There was a massive crowd tonight, it felt like a semi or a final instead of a second round game. I am disappointed with how I played but happy to win my first two matches 6-0.”
Liang reached the final in York in 2015
Liang Wenbo top scored with 110 in a 6-1 win over Mitchell Mann which maintains his cushion over Ryan Day and Neil Robertson in the race to the Masters.
Jimmy White couldn’t build on his first round win over Ali Carter as he lost 6-2 to Kurt Maflin. Norway’s Maflin made a top break of 77 in building a 5-0 lead and sealed victory in frame eight.
Stephen Maguire, the 2004 UK Champion, thrashed Jak Jones 6-0 with top runs of 84, 70, 94 and 93 while Graeme Dott edged out Dominic Dale 6-5.
Marco Fu saw off Zhao Xintong 6-4 while Leeds cueman Peter Lines beat Xu Si 6-2. Joe Perry earned a 6-3 victory over Jack Lisowski.