'Of course I have more flair; I am The Whirlwind' - Jimmy White feels he is a cut above Judd Trump in flamboyancy stakes
Published 27/04/2026 at 15:54 GMT+1
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Jimmy White felt Judd Trump was bound for greatness from the moment he first came up against The Ace as a teenager, but said the world No. 1 does not have the same flair as him.
'What a player' - White says Trump was bound for greatness
Video credit: TNT Sports
Trump has been at the top of the world rankings for some time, having introduced top-level consistency to his game.
The 36-year-old has amassed a telling resume with 31 ranking titles to his name, having burst onto the scene as a precocious teenager when turning professional in 2005.
During his formative years, Trump played with a huge amount of flair - and said in 2011 that he would look to play ”naughty snooker”.
While he still has a huge amount of flair, Trump has curbed the flamboyant snooker to an extent in favour of putting wins on the board.
White first came across Trump just after he became a teenager and felt he was bound for greatness.
”Judd Trump was 13 when I first played him in an exhibition and he made a century break against me,” White said on TNT Sports.
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”We said what a player this kid is going to be. He made a century in front of 100 people in a club. I knew then he was going to be a top player.
”He has become a winning machine. He is No. 1 in the world because he is so tenacious, and such a great match player.”
Trump is locked in a battle with Hossein Vafaei in their second-round encounter at the Crucible, and White feels the world No. 1 will need to up his game to win a second World Championship.
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Trump knocks home assured century to take sub-eight-minute frame
Video credit: TNT Sports
”He is struggling a bit at the moment, changing cues and ferrules and all that,” White said.
”He could win this World Championship, but he will have to improve on his game. But make no mistake, no one tries harder. He is a fantastic player and a fantastic fella.”
Trump has amassed 1150 centuries, according to Snooker Info, way in front of White’s tally of 327. White feels he could have had more had he retained focus.
”All the shots that he does, I was doing them after I’d won frames,” White said. ”That’s why I have not got many centuries, because as soon as the other guy needed snookers I would play flair shots.
”He enjoys that side of it, the crowd enjoy it. When he does exhibitions, he does amazing things. No one has got more cue power than Judd Trump.”
Asked by Rachel Casey who has more flair, White jokingly said: ”Of course I have more flair, I am The Whirlwind.”
Trump and Vafaei will play to a finish on Monday evening, with the contest live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
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Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the World Championship, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
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