Snooker’s ranking system has come under fire from former world number one Judd Trump, who reckons the upper echelons do not reward consistency enough.
The Ace in the Pack has just had a two-year spell as world number one but was usurped at the top of the rankings by Zhao Xintong.
The rolling system sees ranking points drop off two years after they are won at a tournament, which hit Trump hard last month.
Trump lost the £500,000 he won at the 2024 Saudi Arabia Masters as the event is no longer on the calendar, meaning he didn’t have chance to defend the huge prize that he won two years ago.
The 37-year-old is not too fussed about that unfortunate situation, telling Metro: ‘No, I never really want to moan about that kind of thing with the tournaments not on and stuff.
‘You still have two seasons of other events to retain the place.’
Are you snooker loopy?
You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro.
In my newsletter, The Table, I analyse the biggest talking points, pull back the curtain on the sport and crown the biggest winners and losers every week.
Sign up here.
Trump does feel the biggest money events have too much impact on the rankings, though, which was the Saudi Masters and is now just the World Championship.
He reckons a points system rather than the current money list would be fairer.
‘It’s just so top-heavy and now there’s only one big event, it makes it even worse,’ he said. ‘You kind of know whoever wins the Worlds, it’s pretty much nailed on to be first or second for the next two seasons.
Ask Metro
Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.
‘Obviously I managed to win Saudi, Neil [Robertson] won Saudi, those points are going to come off. It’s just a bit of a pointless ranking system, I think.
‘It needs to be changed because the Worlds prize money has gone up again this year which makes it even worse [from £500,000 to £625,000].
‘It’s just terrible. It’s not an accurate system and that’s taking nothing away from Xintong because he deserves to be number one because he’s won other events as well.
‘But I think they need to transfer to points at some point in the next year or two.’
Trump is looking to claim back the world number one spot, in the race alongside world champion Wu Yize, world number two Neil Robertson and recent China Open winner Mark Selby.
Robertson won the Saudi Masters last year and both the World Grand Prix and English Open in the previous season, but Trump is not sure he should be in the battle for top spot.
‘I think Neil, for example, I don’t really know what he’s done to be so close, apart from win Saudi, he hasn’t really done anything else,’ said Trump.
‘It’s hard to pick individual players out, nothing against Neil but he’s not been consistent enough to be the number one, in my eyes. I think Wu Yize, same thing. He won the Worlds but other than that he won one event [International Championship].
‘I think Xintong’s been the best player consistently, along with probably Mark Selby, I’d say, winning some big events and playing well. So I just think it’s a bit unfair.
‘I think the world number one deserves to be world number one at the moment but I think there’s a chance in the next few months that maybe world number one shouldn’t be.’
MORE: Jak Jones ‘absolutely raging’ after email error nearly cost him British Open clash
MORE: Shaun Murphy hits out at China swing: ‘I don’t know anyone who wanted that’
MORE: Judd Trump calls for change after ‘boring’ British Open incident
Judd Trump hits out at ‘terrible’ snooker rankings amid world number one battle
#Judd #Trump #hits #terrible #snooker #rankings #world #number #battle
