Judd Trump debuts new cue at English Open in 4-0 rout of Michael Holt
Lewis Watson 
Judd Trump looked in imperious form in the opening round of the English Open, thrashing Michael Holt 4-0 and it could be a warning shot to the rest of the field.
Trump, who is (not surprisingly) favourite with UK betting sites to win the English Open this week, found his best form of the season so far, and did it with a new cue.
Free Bets snooker expert Lewis Watson takes a closer look at what happened.
Judd Trump has a new tool in hand — and he’s wasted no time showing it off.
The world number one unveiled a fresh cue for the first time since 2018 in Tuesday’s English Open opener, and it looked an instant fit as he dismantled Michael Holt 4-0 in under an hour.
“I fancied a change. I needed more power,” Trump explained afterwards. “Some of the conditions in recent years, it’s becoming harder and harder to screw the ball back. I’m not one to mess about with cues, but you need a refresh every now and then. It’s up to me to get used to it.”
"I don’t think it’s perfect," he said. "It’s a lot different to my old cue, so I need to get used to it. But no excuses, I’ve practised enough."
"The season so far, barring Saudi, I've played half decent," Trump added. "Just hasn’t quite gone my way.
"I was unlucky in China, I think Gary Wilson played very well against me to win that. It’s only been a few tournaments, it’s always nice to tick one off straight away, but that hasn’t happened yet, so I’ll keep trying."
Used to it or not, the new stick delivered in ruthless fashion. Trump, now 36, looked sharp, decisive, and full of the swagger that’s carried him to the sport’s summit. Holt never got a foothold. Trump’s cueing was crisp, his pace relentless, and the whitewash inevitable.
The 'Ace in the Pack' moves into the second round against Yuan Sijun, attempting to edge closer to a title he has bagged twice in his last five visits (2020, 2023).
Elsewhere across the draw, top seeds Neil Robertson (1) and Zhao Xintong (2) joined Trump in the next stage, but there was a shock in the form of a 4-2 loss for fourth seed Kyren Wilson over Robbie Williams.
Williams (49) was the one to entertain us. Wilson was chasing shadows from the off — and he never quite caught up.
The world number 51, who had never beaten Wilson on the professional circuit, tore into a two-frame lead and refused to loosen his grip. Wilson threatened a response, uncorking classy breaks of 73 and 108 in two of the next three, but the damage had already been done.
Williams held his nerve, kept the scoreboard moving, and crossed the line for a breakthrough victory that left Wilson stewing on what might have been.
Wilson exits the English Open earlier than expected for the fourth year running, with his best outing in Brentwood coming via a runner-up finish in 2017.
Other winners, albeit unsurprisingly, included Xiao Guodong, Ding Junhui, Mark Allen, Barry Hawkins, Mark Williams and Mark Selby — all seeded in the top ten this week and holding onto aspirations of a potential title tilt.
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