Judd Trump battled past Pang Junxu in the opening round of the UK Championship on Monday and is eyeing his “best-ever season”.
The world No. 2 claimed the top prize in three successive tournaments at the English Open, Wuhan Open and Northern Ireland Open.
For Trump, winning is everything and he is on course to produce his best return in a single campaign.
“It’s win or nothing at every tournament,” he told Eurosport. “To be honest, no one ever remembers the tournaments that have gone by.
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“If I didn’t win another tournament now everyone would probably say that I’ve had another bad season, so it’s just what happens really, the standard I’ve set.
“You have to keep it up, keep it going, keep the momentum going. It puts you in a good place, if I can tick off any more now, especially this one, then it’s likely to be my best-ever season.”
Trump endured a difficult period and failed to win a ranking event in the last two seasons, but before that, he won five titles in the 2019/20 campaign.
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The 34–year–old is aiming to reach those heights once again and hopes to continue his best-ever start to a season with the title he last won in 2011/12 – his first ranking title.
Next up, he will face either Jack Lisowski or Jamie Jones for a spot in the quarter-finals.
On his possible opponents, Trump said: “I’ll keep an eye [on their match], I think it could be a close game that one. I think Jamie did really well to get through qualifying.
“Jack has obviously still got a little bit to prove in some of the bigger events but he has a good record in this one I think, he’s got to the quarters and semis a couple of times.
“This is obviously a venue he likes playing. There’s more on the line now and I’m waiting for him!”
