World Snooker Championship news: Judd Trump looking to rekindle love for snooker

Out of form former snooker world champion, Judd Trump has continued his tirade against the sport in the UK by claiming it had taken a backward step.

It's fair to safe Trump has not been at his best this season. He has won a ranking event and a single invitational tournament but his performances overall have not been at the standard expected of him.

After he won the World Championship in 2019 he went on a tear across snooker, winning 11 ranking titles over the next two seasons.

However, his poor form can perhaps be explained by his current mindset toward snooker.

Not too long ago, he told reporters at a BBC Sports event that the UK snooker scene lacked quality and that it did not hold the same prestige as events in China.

The World Snooker Tour answered by publishing a long statement saying they did not agree with Trump and went to great lengths to explain why.

Trump has doubled down on his remarks in return, claiming snooker has taken a backward step and that he was trying to rekindle his love for the game.

"I have not played as well as I can and don't expect anything from [the World Snooker Championship]," he said, according to the BBC.

"It is a bit of a different feeling and just another event. It is not even an offseason - it is a good season for any other player. I just haven't enjoyed my snooker and have not had the same buzz.

"After playing so many games over the last couple of years, it has taken it out of me.

"The quality of the tournaments hasn't been very good. We have not had the China events, all the events have been smaller and not had the same prestige. It just doesn't feel special.

"Some of the venues have been poor. This [World Championship] is good, the Masters is good but other than that it has been disappointing."

One of the major changes Trump is hoping to see is potentially moving the World Snooker Championship from the Crucible Theatre.

"I just feel [the World Championship] could do with trying to play elsewhere one year. It is a special venue but things can always change," he said.

"The hospitality side of it can be better and it is so difficult to get that in the Crucible. It is special when it gets down to the one-table set-up but the two-table set-up is cramped.

"I would rather play in front of more people. The more people the better the atmosphere. The Masters nowadays have overtaken this one by far. The more people you can get in makes you feel more alive.

"You can relax, be yourself and get involved with the game, that is what makes the Masters so special.

"This event is always going to be special but I'm not as excited now as I was when I used to turn up before."