UK Championship final: Judd Trump beats Barry Hawkins 10-8 to win second UK title

Judd Trump secured his second UK Championship title by battling to a tough 10-8 win against Barry Hawkins at the Barbican in York.

At 35 years old, he has achieved 30 ranking titles, a remarkable feat that only Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, and John Higgins have surpassed. Given how well he is performing right now, many will expect him to increase that number by succeeding in the Triple Crown competitions.

He is now tied for eighth place on the all-time ranking, while Alex Higgins holds the fifth spot.

Nonetheless, he had to withstand a thrilling comeback from Hawkins, who battled back from a 9-6 deficit to narrow it to 9-8. In a nail-biting 18th frame, Hawkins nearly secured the two snookers he needed to send the match to a deciding frame, but ultimately, Trump came out on top.

"It was an incredibly tough match. Barry's performance today, especially after what he went through yesterday, was truly remarkable," Trump said in an interview with BBC Sport.

"It was really tough. He had an opportunity to equalize, which could have altered the course of the game. Sitting there at 9-8 was no fun at all. I just wanted it to end."

"I found myself in a tough spot with every shot, and I couldn’t shake the thought that this might turn out to be the most devastating loss ever. Now, it's nothing but relief."

World number one Trump, who won his only other UK title in 2011, was in the lead at 5-3 heading into the final session on Sunday evening.

He scored two breaks of fifty points each to maintain his two-frame lead at 7-5 as they headed into the mid-session break.

Hawkins, 45, in pursuit of his first Triple Crown title nearly three decades into his professional career, made a solid move next. He seemed poised to tie the match at 7-7 but ended up in a tricky spot, which gave his competitor the chance to take the lead once more.

Trump achieved an impressive break of 133, his best of the tournament, giving him a 9-6 advantage. However, Hawkins fought back bravely, making contributions of 75 and 82 points. Ultimately, his efforts fell short as he just missed the chance to push the match to a deciding frame.

By winning the £250,000 grand prize, Trump has now achieved victory at the two richest ranking events on the Tour this season, having previously won the Saudi Arabia Masters as well. This success solidifies his position as the number one player in the world rankings.

Hawkins, who took home £100,000 as the second-place finisher, was trying to make history by becoming the oldest person to win a Triple Crown event for the first time.

Nevertheless, managing to keep Trump within reach was impressive, especially considering that the 45-year-old started the final on Sunday less than 12 hours after finishing his semi-finals victory against Mark Allen in the early morning.

Hawkins, who progressed from the qualifiers in Leicester to make it to the televised rounds, has already surprised everyone by defeating the reigning champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, as well as David Gilbert, Shaun Murphy, and Allen.

He will express regret over numerous chances he overlooked, especially in the initial session, which could have potentially created more problems for Trump.

Trump started strong in the match, securing the first frame with a break of 73. However, Hawkins fought back fiercely, delivering an impressive 116 break and then finishing off with a 70 clearance to equalize the score at 2-2.

Trump quickly gained momentum, scoring 102 and winning the next three frames in succession to establish a comfortable lead.

Hawkins showed strong determination as he made an impressive break of 81 to cut down his deficit. However, his failure to capitalize on scoring opportunities—missing a straightforward black in the fifth frame and then a green in the top left corner—was detrimental to his chances.