Exclusive: Judd Trump Hoping for a World Final Rematch against Ronnie O’Sullivan

The 2025 World Snooker Championship is almost upon us, with defending champion Kyren Wilson set to kick off his title defence this Saturday, April 19th. 

The two-week snooker extravaganza at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield will once again be broadcast live on BBC, and fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be a thrilling tournament.

While Wilson looks to break the notorious Crucible curse after winning four ranking titles since his maiden world title, it is world number one Judd Trump who enters the tournament as the favourite to lift the coveted ‘Shepherdess’ once again.

Ahead of the official draw, which takes place on Thursday, we caught up with ‘The Ace in the Pack’ for his thoughts on the upcoming event. Trump shared his predictions for the tournament, including who he would love to face in the final.

Trump on the World Championship

For Trump, the World Championship is unlike any other event. The two-week tournament requires immense stamina, with longer format matches testing players to their limits. 

While the 2023-24 season has seen 13 different tournament winners, highlighting the depth of talent across the professional tour, Trump believes only a select few players have the capability to lift the trophy at the Crucible.

“The Worlds is always a different kettle of fish for me,” Trump told SportsBoom.com. 

“Apart from when you get the odd kind of shock when Luca [Brecel] went onto win it. I still fancy one of the top top players to there or thereabouts. It’s just such a tough tournament to blast your way through if you’re not one of the big proven names.”

“There’s been five or six standout players of the season. I think Kyren [Wilson] is playing very very well, he’s gonna be trying to break it [Crucible Curse] for the very first time.”

“I can see it being one of the standout players that have done well this season. I don’t see it being that big of a surprise.”

Rivalry with Kyren Wilson 

A major storyline of the season has been the growing rivalry between Trump and Wilson. The two players have met in three ranking finals this season, with Wilson getting the better of Trump in Xi’an, Belfast, and Telford.

They also faced off at both of the first two Triple Crown events, as Trump triumphed in the UK Championship semi-final, while Wilson came out on top in their Masters semi-final.

As the tournament heads towards its grand finale, we asked Trump whether a potential World Championship showdown with Wilson would be a fitting way to end the season.

“There’s a great chance of it happening. We’re both playing very very well. We’ve both been very very consistent,” Trump said.

The world number one went on to praise Wilson’s consistency throughout the season, a quality that Trump has been able to maintain in his own career for several years.

“It’s always difficult to keep up that level of performance for a full season, and he’s managed too. I’ve done it for a few times now.”

Trump’s Dream Final Opponent

While a Trump vs. Wilson final would certainly be a headline-worthy conclusion to the season, if Trump could handpick his ideal opponent, it wouldn’t be Wilson. Trump revealed that he would love a repeat of his 2022 World Championship final against the legendary Ronnie O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan, however, has yet to decide whether he will compete in this year’s event. A decision on his participation is expected to be made by Wednesday or Thursday of tournament week. 

He has not played in a tournament since the Championship League in January, withdrawing from several major events, including the Masters, Welsh Open, and World Grand Prix.

Should O’Sullivan decide to enter, he would be the fifth seed and placed on the opposite side of the draw to Trump, meaning a final showdown between the two remains a possibility.

“Nobody knows if Ronnie [O’Sullivan] is gonna come back and play, but I think if he wasn’t then that would be a good final to make,” Trump concluded.

With the official draw looming and the action set to get underway, the 2025 World Snooker Championship promises to deliver another unforgettable two weeks of drama at the Crucible. Whether it’s a Trump vs. Wilson final or a showdown with O’Sullivan, all eyes will be on the players battling it out for snooker’s biggest prize.