Judd Trump is a much better version of snooker legend Alex Higgins, according to veteran potter Dominic Dale.
Trump is currently enjoying life after winning the World Championship for a first time in May at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in dominant fashion.
After one or two dodgy moments in the early rounds, the 29-year-old went on to dominate the tournament and completely demolish four-time world champion John Higgins in the final.
The Ace in the Pack beat the Wizard of Wishaw 18-9 in the showpiece, rattling in seven centuries in the progress and Dale believes it was just about the perfect way to play, leading to comparisons to another famous Higgins.
‘The sure-fire way to win a match is to finish off frames in one visit,’ Dale told World Snooker.
‘Judd Trump against John Higgins in the World Championship final is the perfect example. Judd comprehensively beat one of the hardest matchplayers there has ever been in snooker.
‘John is a terrific potter and break builder himself. Judd demolished him. I think Judd is the modern day Alex Higgins in a way, but much better. I mean that because he is slightly unpredictable.
‘However, he isn’t as reckless as he once was. His style of play as a world champion will bring a lot of new players to the sport.
‘I think that is proof that snooker is a young person’s sport now and that it will go towards that style of play.’
Two-time ranking event winner Dale is still competing on the tour at 47-years-old, and with many of the top players in the game boasting veteran status, he believes Trump should be an example to other young players.
The 29-year-old burst onto the scene as a fearsome potter and has developed a more rounded, strategic, matchplay game, something Dale believes used to be ingrained early in British players.
‘A lot of the young players now come from Europe and Asia especially. We as British players had a terrific grounding in the amateur set up,’ the Spaceman continued.
‘We would learn our trade the hard way against tough players and make the odd mistake that would cost us matches. Because the Chinese are relatively new to the sport they don’t have the amateur grounding.
‘The British elder statesmen of the game like Alan McManus, Ken Doherty and myself can sometimes win matches purely from knowing the game better.
‘I think a lot of the young players coming onto the tour at the moment are learning. However, as we get older we start to get a bit more circumspect and won’t take on the sort of shots we used to.
‘That is where the young Chinese players come in. They are so full of confidence, take shots on and are normally good break builders.’
Judd Trump returns to action for the first time since his Crucible triumph at the International Championship on 4 August.
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