2024 has been a great year of snooker, Judd Trump has cemented his position as the best player in the world, Kyren Wilson won the World Championship and there has been a series of dramatic matches and moments that will live long in history.
With the Masters just around the corner and the 2025 World Championship slowly looming into view, here are four storylines to keep an eye on in 2025.
Will Judd Trump be able to win a second World Championship?
When it comes to 2024 Judd Trump has had a brilliant season. The winner of the UK Championship when he edged out Barry Hawkins in a thriller of a contest, Trump has also enjoyed deep runs at the Northern Irish Open, Saudi Arabia Masters and Wuhan Open.
Although he would have wanted to have won more titles, his consistency has meant that he is miles ahead of the rest of the field when it comes to the overall rankings.
Set to head into both the Masters and next year’s World Championships as the number one seed, Trump will hope that 2025 will be his year when it comes to titles.
Ever since he was a teenager Trump was viewed as the game’s next big thing. In a sport where a maverick style of play is encouraged, Trump was predicted to follow in the footsteps of other greats such as Alex Higgins, Jimmy White and Ronnie O’Sullivan. He has always had the talent but he now has the consistency and that is a dangerous formula for the rest of snooker’s elite.
A winner of one World Championship, Trump has way too much ability to win just one title and for a man of his many talents it would be a major disappointment if he weren’t to add to his haul. Trump has the ability to be an all time great, if he is to join the list of greats it is essential that he brings his A Game to this year’s World Championship.
Could Wilson and Trump have a special rivalry brewing?
Throughout the decades snooker has been awash with rivalries. Alex Higgins vs Jimmy White, Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Stephen Hendry are just a few that spring to mind but we could be in the midst of witnessing another rivalry develop.
Both Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson have separated themselves from the rest when it comes to the world rankings and both will hope that they end 2025 as the sport’s best player. Likely to be the top two seeds at the Masters and World Championship, both players play the game with a fearless attitude and have the ability to bring new eyeballs to the sport.
With both players looking to build their legacies and win a second World Championship if the two collide at the Crucible next May we could be on the verge of witnessing something historic.
Snooker’s class of 92 is set for a defining year
In football Manchester United’s Class of 92 is famous the world over. The foundation of Manchester United’s famous team in the 90’s, the likes of David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes have all worked their way into Manchester United’s history books.
It is rare that talent of the same age bursts through to the top in any sport but snooker is special as it has three elite players who all came through at the same time. With their own class of 92, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Williams and John Higgins having redefined the sport, the three of them have won fourteen world titles between them and all three are absolut locks for the Hall of Fame. However, heading into 2025, all three have questions to answer about their future in the sport.
Despite being the third ranked player in the world, Ronnie O’Sullivan has had a poor year by his usual lofty standards and for the first time in his career, his days at the top of the sport could be coming to an end.
O’Sullivan is no stranger to questions over his future. He has openly admitted that he has struggled for motivation and is purely in the game for the money and the second half of 2024 has been littered with him withdrawing from tournaments or losing early.
With him playing less and spending less time at the table, perhaps for the first time in his career his aura is on the wane and many of the game’s top talents will believe that they can beat him on a regular basis. Whilst his place in the world’s top 16 isn’t in jeopardy, the days of him dominating could be coming to an end.
Mark Williams has had another solid year and is ranked sixth in the world. A winner of the Champions of Champions tournament, he has also reached the final of the Saudi Arabia Masters.
Williams is incredibly gifted and still seems to have a hunger that will enable him to compete at the top for years to come.
The one player out of the three in snooker’s class of 92 who might be looking nervously over his shoulder when it comes to ensuring his place in the sport’s top 16 is John Higgins. Currently ranked 14 in the world, Higgins is showing signs of decline and is no longer the force he once was. Still a name to be feared, Higgins can beat the best in the world on any given day, but those days seem to be happening on a much less frequent basis.
The Scot has enjoyed a storied career but his time at snooker’s top table could be coming to an end and he needs to start 2025 quickly if he is to maintain his spot in the top 16.
Saudi Arabia to continue to have a growing influence on the sport
Across the world of sport Saudi Arabia is having a growing influence. Now the home of huge tennis, football, Formula 1 and boxing events, snooker is another sport that has close ties to the oil rich country and it’s no coincidence that Saudi Arabia and snooker seem to have an ever growing relationship.
The recent Riyadh Snooker Championship offered a prize pool of £250,000 which is one of the biggest prizes on offer throughout the season and with the majority of the game’s top players demanding bigger payouts, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more tournaments held in the region.
One area to take a look at next year could be the future of the World Championship. There have been serious criticisms that the Crucible is now no longer an appropriate venue to host such a prestigious tournament and there are rumours flying that the tournament could be moved to China or Saudi Arabia.
Saudi would love to host a tournament with the prestige of the World Championship and with a huge prize pot guaranteed, it could be a rumour that picks up steam in 2025.
Jonathan Ashby
Jonathan Ashby, at 35, boasts a deep well of knowledge about the world of snooker. A specialist with a passion for the game's history, techniques, and players, he provides invaluable insights to both novices and seasoned enthusiasts. Through his articles, Jonathan aims to share the rich tapestry and nuances of this beloved cue sport.
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