Judd Trump reveals how toilet break helped him to victory over Mark Williams in Masters snooker final

Updated 16/01/2023 at 05:25 GMT

With the scores locked at 8-8 in a gripping Masters final, Judd Trump has revealed how a trip to the toilet and a splash of water over his face helped him to take the victory. He returned a player reborn, winning the next two frames to claim his second ever Masters title in what proved to be a pulsating contest. "I played alright after that," he laughed. "So maybe that was the trick!"

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Judd Trump has revealed how a toilet break during the Masters final with Mark Williams was the catalyst for him winning the next two frames to take the Paul Hunter trophy.

After leading 5-3 at the mid-session interval, Trump suddenly found himself behind for the first time in the match as Williams rallied back to take an 8-7 lead. But the 33-year-old rolled his sleeves up, took the next frame and headed off for a comfort break to have a word with himself.

He returned a player reborn, winning the next two frames to claim his second-ever Masters title in what proved to be a pulsating contest.

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Given the manner in which victory came, Trump described it as his best-ever success in his glittering career.

And reflecting on his success in the Eurosport studio, Trump recalled the moment in which he believes the game turned.

“I think it's easy to say after each win, but that was, I think, my best ever win,” he began.

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“The way I played… I should have lost three of the four games. I should have lost that.

“Mark played way better than me, way better than me. And I just tried to hang in there, same as the World Championship.

“I've managed to dig it out from 8-7… I got that frame, went to the toilet, just splashed water on my face and played alright after that. So maybe that was the trick!

“It’s an incredible feeling just because at 8-7 down, I was just trying to hang in.”

Asked what it felt like to aim a fist pump towards his parents after potting the frame ball, Trump said: “I'm just speechless because I didn't think I was going to win. I honestly didn't. I wasn't playing well enough.

“I’ve never missed so many easy balls by so far and able to get over it so quickly. I was able just to get it completely out of the system straight away.

“And I think that definitely helped because there must have been times where the commentators think ‘he's absolutely gone, he can't pot a ball’ and then all of a sudden, I make a break the next frame.

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“There was just something in there this week that clicked, and I didn't panic when things were going wrong.”

He added: “This is really special and it’s the first time as well that I've won one of the Triple Crowns multiple times so that's special as well.

“A lot of people have been on my back about only winning three, so it's nice to tick this one off. Winning this tournament twice, absolutely incredible.

“I'm not playing well, I'm not playing my best and I've still managed to nick this one and get to the final of the World [Championship].”

Trump also paid tribute to his brother Jack, who he says has been with him every step of the way.

“He's incredible. He's stuck with it. Ever since he came on board, he was probably thinking: ‘this is the easiest job in the world, I turn up and Judd wins every event’. And then all of a sudden, out of the blue 18 months ago, I stopped winning.

“It's become really, really tough. Some of the losses I've had this year, just absolutely horrendous.

England's Judd Trump (2L) poses with the trophy and his family, father Steve (L), mother Georgina (2R) and brother Jack (R) after his victory over Wales' Mark Williams in the Masters snooker tournament final at Alexandra Palace in London on January 15.

Image credit: Getty Images

“There have been a few tough drives home, a few silent car journeys, a few silent plane journeys.

“But we're on the same page. He wants it just as much as me. He's probably the most nervous person in the players’ lounge. He cares so much.

“So yeah, this one is for him, for sticking with me and sticking together and making it a team out there.”

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