Judd Trump Suffers Quarter-Final Upset to Jak Jones at World Snooker Championship

Judd Trump faced a surprising defeat, falling 13-9 to Jak Jones in the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Entering the final session tied at 8-8, world number two Trump struggled to maintain his rhythm in a tactical match that played to Jones’s advantage.

Breaks of 87 and 61 allowed Jones to pull ahead at 11-9, and the Welshman secured a memorable victory with an impressive run of 106. He advances to the semi-finals, where he will face either seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan or 2015 winner Stuart Bingham in a best-of-33 frame match.

Jak Jones Makes an Impact

Playing in the tournament for just the second time, Jones, known as the Silent Assassin, aims to become the third qualifier to win the world title, following in the footsteps of Terry Griffiths in 1979 and Shaun Murphy in 2005.

“I feel good and pleased to get through,” Jones told BBC Sport. “I thought Judd struggled. He started with a century, which motivated me. I played well in the next three frames, and even though it was tied at 4-4, I felt like he was a different player and went into his shell a bit. I took advantage of it.”

Kyren Wilson Leads John Higgins

Meanwhile, Kyren Wilson holds a 9-7 lead against four-time champion John Higgins as they head into the final session of their last-eight match on Wednesday evening.

Trump Falls Short Despite Strong Season

Trump, the 2019 world champion, had a successful season, winning five ranking events and achieving 79 century breaks. He began his quarter-final match against world number 44 Jones as the clear favorite, but aside from a 110 break in the opening frame, he struggled to find his usual form.

Jones’s tactical safety play dominated Wednesday’s final session, as Trump’s highest break was a mere 22. “I just struggled,” Trump admitted. “I had a lot of chances, but it was slower than I liked, and I couldn’t get any rhythm. It felt like starting over every time I came to the table.”

Jones Takes Control

Jones took the lead with an 87 break in the 19th frame and benefited from Trump’s misses, including a failed pink in the 20th frame. Another miss on a yellow allowed Jones to close in on victory, completing his journey to the semi-finals.

Red Bull Racing F1 CTO Adrian Newey to Focus on Hypercar Project and Leave Team in 2025

Oracle Red Bull Racing announced today that Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer, will step down from his role with the Red Bull Technology Group in the first quarter of 2025. Newey will transition away from his Formula One design responsibilities to concentrate on the final development and delivery of Red Bull’s first hypercar, the highly anticipated RB17. He will remain actively involved in the project until its completion.

Adrian Newey’s Impact on Red Bull Racing

Adrian Newey joined Red Bull Racing in 2006, playing a key role in the team’s transformation from a new contender to a dominant force in Formula One. Under his technical leadership, the team achieved seven F1 Drivers’ Championships and six Constructors’ Championships, along with 118 victories and 101 poles, including the STR 2008 pole and victory.

Adrian Newey Reflects on His Red Bull Racing Journey

“Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to design fast cars and be an engineer in Formula One,” Adrian Newey said. “I’ve been fortunate to fulfill this dream and contribute to Red Bull Racing’s journey from newcomer to multiple title-winning team. Now, it feels like the right time to hand the baton to others and embrace new challenges. My focus during the remaining time with the team will be on the RB17’s final stages of development.”

“I want to thank the talented people I’ve worked with at Red Bull over the past 18 years for their dedication and hard work. I’d also like to express my gratitude to the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz, Mark Mateschitz, Chalerm Yoovidhya, and Christian Horner for their support and friendship. Thanks also to Oliver Mintzlaff for his leadership and Eddie Jordan, my close friend and manager.”

Team Principal Christian Horner Commends Newey’s Contributions

Christian Horner, Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO, lauded Adrian Newey’s exceptional contributions: “Adrian’s influence over the past 20 years has been pivotal in our 13 titles across 20 seasons. His innovative approach and outstanding design skills have propelled Red Bull Racing to greater success. He is not only a legend in the sport but also a dear friend and trusted partner. His legacy will resonate through the halls of Milton Keynes, and the RB17 Track Car will serve as a fitting testament to his time with us.”

Adrian Newey’s Achievements with Red Bull Racing

Adrian Newey’s inaugural design for the team, RB3, achieved a podium finish at the 2007 European Grand Prix. His designs also secured the team’s first victory with Sebastian Vettel and Toro Rosso at the Italian Grand Prix in 2008. His RB5 design earned the team its first win at the 2009 Chinese Grand Prix, followed by five more victories that season.

The RB6 propelled the team to its first double title in 2010, a feat repeated in each of the next three years. With the introduction of hybrid power in 2014, Newey shifted his focus away from Formula One to work on the creation of the Valkyrie hypercar. The team’s partnership with Honda as its power unit partner in 2019 reignited Newey’s passion, leading to success with RB16B and the 2021 Championship. An extensive regulation change in the following season marked the beginning of a new era of dominance starting in 2022 with RB18 and continuing to this day.

Former Mayo Star Lee Keegan Questions Kildare’s Commitment to Tailteann Cup

Former Mayo star Lee Keegan expresses doubts about Kildare’s ability to compete in the Tailteann Cup, citing their poor form and lack of identity in recent games. Despite having a strong team on paper, Kildare’s recent performance has been lackluster, with Keegan pointing out their dismal record of losing eight out of nine competitive games this year.

“Kildare look like a shell of a team, to be brutally honest. They deserve to be in the Tailteann Cup,” Keegan told the RTÉ GAA podcast.

Keegan raises concerns about the players’ interest in the second-tier championship, stating, “They’ve lost seven league games, they got out of jail against Wicklow. I’d worry about them, even in that. Will there be a falloff in players, will they lose interest?”

Watch the second half highlights below as Louth defeat Kildare on a scoreline of 0-17 to 0-13 and progress to the Leinster SFC Final! GAAGO Clips brought to you by @AIB_GAA #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/HCaGVDtjtu

— GAAGO (@GAAGO) April 28, 2024

He also questions their game strategy, adding, “The Tailteann Cup has been great but just looking at Kildare, I don’t know if the players will want to [compete in it]. Look at them yesterday [in the Leinster SFC semi-final]. Biggest game of the year, with a potential place in Sam Maguire there. And you go out and perform like that.”

“Louth weren’t even in top gear. I don’t know where Kildare go from here. They need to create something in that group. They have no identity. Even the gameplan they were playing, I don’t think they know what they’re doing,” Keegan added.

Keegan concludes by stating that Kildare needs to develop a stronger identity and strategy to improve their chances in the Tailteann Cup and beyond.