Judd Trump wins whitewash on brilliant pro pool debut in Atlantic City against Joe Magee
JUDD TRUMP began his own bid to crack America with a sensational whitewash victory on his pro pool debut in Atlantic City.
The 32-year-old was already in the States to see the global shockwaves created by Emma Raducanu’s stunning success in New York on Saturday night.
And the Juddernaut, snooker’s current No2 and a former world champion, was inspired by the teenager’s feat at his own US Open as he raced to a 9-0 win against the USA’s Joe Magee.
Using cues borrowed from Bradford’s former world pool champion Karl Boyes, Trump took to the new sport like a duck to water leaving his vastly more experienced opponent in a daze.
The break-off is considered the key shot in nine-ball pool and the one most difficult to master for snooker stars.
But Trump regularly smashed up the pack sinking two or three balls, and closed out several racks with a single visit without his opponent getting a shot.
Magee looked doomed from the first rack. He blew a couple of chances when rookie Trump let him, and then spent most of the match in his seat.
And Magee was so demoralised that he surrendered by shaking hands even before Trump had potted the final nine-ball at the end.
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Trump, who now plays India’s Dhruvalkumar Patel on Tuesday, said: “What Emma did was incredible and the support she got is just great for British sport. It spurred me on to do well here in the US.
“It was nice to get my campaign up and running. The first couple of racks I was quite nervous.
“But when I could see he wasn’t a top, top player it gave me some confidence. Potting some good shots helped settle me down, and you’re always going to be happy with 9-0.
“My break-off was pretty good. I won’t get too carried away, it is only the first round. Karl Boyes, my new coach…I’ll have a chat with him and see what I could do better.
“I always felt in control and didn’t miss any easy ones, which I was scared of. Maybe in the next match I’ll try a jump shot.
“This table played very well compared to the ones I was practising on, and I just love being out there on the main table with a good crowd and the attention.
“It is a different atmosphere and type of pressure. It gets me out of my comfort zone.
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“In snooker I am so confident in myself, and people expect me to clear up every time.”
Other snooker players have crossed the divide and switched codes – notably Steve Davis, Jimmy White, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Alex Higgins.
And reigning and four-time snooker world champion Mark Selby came from a UK eight-ball pool background in Leicester.
Boyes, who has also been coaching Trump, said: “Judd has a snooker style cue action, so we worked on that and were really just trying to get the break-off shot right.”