As Barry Hawkins surged into the semi-finals of the Tour Championship, Judd Trump says the Hawk is making it look easy.
Hawkins downed the world number one 10-5 on Wednesday, looking very strong throughout and that wasn’t even his best performance this week.
The 45-year-old started his campaign with a stunning 10-1 win over Shaun Murphy as he hits some of his best form ever in Manchester.
Trump did feel the Hawk got the odd slice of luck along the way in their clash, but was also impressed with his performance, saying he made a tough table look easy.
‘I think he played well, I didn’t play my best. He was full of confidence after that first game,’ Trump told ITV4.
‘There were a couple of frames early on that changed the game really. There was a shot at 2-1 where he missed the blue and flicked the yellow over a red when I should have had a great chance to go 3-1, then at 2-2 I had him snookered and he fluked a snooker back. Just little things like that, the first session was where it turned.
‘It was tricky. Barry did play very well, scored very heavy when he had the chances. Just little flicks here and there, but he played well, it’s one of them games.
‘He played well against Shaun and played well against me. The table is playing tough but he’s making it look easy. Full of momentum and well done to him.’
The defeat to Hawkins is Trump’s last outing before the World Championship and follows a stinging 10-9 loss to Kyren Wilson in the final of the Players Championship.
Stephen Hendry says it is obviously not how Trump would have chosen to prepare for the Crucible, who could not find his best form in Manchester.
‘It’s not the best frame of mind to go into the World Championship, having lost two double-session matches in such a fashion,’ said Hendry.
‘He didn’t play well Judd today, he didn’t have his A game for whatever reason, it happens, you’re not guaranteed to play well all the time. But you have to give credit to his opponent who scored heavier all day.’
Hawkins now faces either John Higgins of Xiao Guodong in the semi-final on Friday and, while he always remains understated, is feeling confident after two brilliant performances.
‘It’s going alright innit?’ Hawkins laughed. ‘Against Shaun I had a flyer first session, played pretty solid against Judd.
‘I’m looking forward to it [the semi-final]. If I keep playing alright then it’s always enjoyable.
‘This game can change overnight you can play really well then the next day you can’t pot a ball. But I feel good in myself, I’m quietly confident I suppose. I’ve beat two top class players there.
‘Judd’s world number one and beat me the last few times I’ve played him, so it’s nice to get a win over him in the end. I’m bubbling along quite nicely.’
He added: ‘Its been a good year and this is a bonus tournament because it’s so difficult to get in this tournament in the first place.
‘Just turn up and enjoy this one, there’s no pressure, I think that’s probably been the mindset and probably why I’ve been playing alright.’
Hawkins is the first man into the semi-finals, where he will be joined by Higgins or Xiao, while the other half of the draw sees Mark Selby vs Neil Robertson and Kyren Wilson vs Ding Junhui in the quarter-finals.