Judd Trump required assistance at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship after getting chalk stuck in his trouser pocket. The World No. 1 met Mark Williams in the quarter-final of the tournament on Thursday, boasting a lead of 25-18 in the very first frame when the mishap occurred.
After reaching into his pocket, Trump was forced to lean his cue at the side of the table as he frantically fidgeted to try and release the chalk which was wedged in his pocket. After a couple of seconds, sporting a look of perplexity, he then informed the referee what had happened to cause the momentary lull in action. He then went into his pocket again, only to return empty-handed.
Trump then asked the referee for assistance, who checked for an opening through his white gloves to no avail. Fortunately, the ‘Ace in the Pack’ was eventually able to remove the chalk from his pocket before getting on with the game.
Thankfully, the crowd in Saudi Arabia saw the funny side of the incident, applauding Trump as he eventually chalked his cue, forcing a smile from the 36-year-old. Meanwhile, long-time rival Kyren Wilson was on commentary duty for the match between Trump and Williams, and explained that the issue could have been avoided had the star worn a waistcoat.
He was heard saying: “Do you know what? This is a problem that I find without wearing the waistcoats, because we put our chalk in the waistcoat pocket. The amount of times your chalk can slip into your trouser pocket and you can’t pull it out, because your hands are quite sweaty as well whilst you’re playing. It is quite funny.”
Thankfully for Trump, the awkward incident didn’t prevent him from cruising to a 4-0 win over Williams at the Global Theatre to advance to Friday’s semi-final. There, he will face 2025 World Champion, Zhao Xintong.
Speaking after his win over Williams, Trump said: “It wasn’t vintage, but I did the job. Still waiting for the win, but there have been ups and downs to the season.
“I have lost some finals; that will happen in your career. It is all about how you bounce back. I try not to put pressure on myself, but I want to win every tournament.”