Judd Trump faces the possibility of losing his world number one ranking after an unexpected opening-round loss to Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham at the China Open. Saengkham, ranked 45th globally, secured a 6-3 win, advancing to face either Ronnie O’Sullivan or Jackson Page. Despite Trump rallying to tie the match after an early deficit, his opponent took command by winning three consecutive frames.
Saengkham utilized a 120-point break to establish a 5-2 lead before concluding the match with a 78-0 final frame. Although Trump recently triumphed at the Shanghai Masters, his performance in ranking events has been limited over the last two years. The China Open, now located in Taiyuan, has returned to the tour schedule for the first time since 2019.
To maintain his top ranking, which he has held since August 2024, Trump must succeed at the upcoming Wuhan Open and rely on favorable outcomes from other players like Zhao Xintong, Neil Robertson, and Wu Yize. Several other seeds including Barry Hawkins, Mark Williams, and Ding Junhui also faced early exits during the tournament, which offers a top prize of £250,000.
