Judd Trump doesn't hide his feelings on Mark Williams as he drops five-word comment

Crucible frontrunner has dubbed "a legend of the game" in the run-up to their semi-final epic at the . The pair are set to ignite Sheffield on Thursday in a best-of-33 frames battle that promises to be one for the books.

sensation Trump sealed his spot in the tournament's penultimate stage after a stunning comeback against Luca Brecel, winning six consecutive frames to win 13-8. However, he now squares off against another snooker titan, three-time champion Williams, who showcased remarkable resilience to eliminate in the quarters.

'The Welsh Potting Machine' narrowly triumphed over Higgins and coolly secured his place in the semis for the first time since 2022. It was Trump who dashed 50-year-old Williams' hopes back then, and 'The Ace in the Pack' is aiming to repeat history this week.

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Trump, 35, reflected on their previous encounters when discussing the upcoming match following his victory over Brecel. And the Bristol-born star had nothing but compliments for his rival.

"[The] last time I was in the semi-final, I think I played him," he told Sport on Wednesday. "It was an epic then, he obviously had an epic against John Higgins - it's such a slog, this tournament.

"Still a long way to go, but Mark is a legend of the game. I think whoever won out of John and Mark, I was gonna be happy to play if I got through. . .turns out it's Mark, and it's going to be a great game."

Trump has previously praised his Welsh rival, who has only managed to win 11 of their 34 matches overall. One of their latest clashes was in the final of the maiden Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters last summer, where Trump narrowly triumphed by a 10-9 scoreline.

Despite not winning, Williams put up an incredible fight and pocketed the £200,000 runner-up prize while impressing with three century breaks. Typically gracious in victory, Trump acknowledged Williams' skill and determination after the result.

"It just shows what a champion he is, what a break he's made in the last frame there," he told TNT Sports, humbly adding he "didn't deserve to win" the £500,000 top prize. "Half a million quid, 62 behind, two reds there. Congratulations to him."

On the flip side, Williams has been vocal in his admiration of Trump's accomplishments as they gear up for their semi-final showdown. The Ace in the Pack is guaranteed to leave the World Championship with at least £200,000 in his pocket – half for making it to the final four and another £100,000 for this season, with nine achieved in Sheffield alone.

Williams has piled the praise upon his semi-final foe in kind and said: "All he's missing on his CV probably is another World Championship and if he gets another one of them, he has to be one of the greatest of all time."

The Welsh whiz clarified he hopes this isn't the year he adds that second world title before commenting on his century break bonus: "There's no other player who had a sniff of winning that bonus £100,000. Only him because he's relentless."

The wider snooker community would be inclined to agree given Trump's consistency in that area this term. However, the Crucible has in the past proved unforgiving after a string of disappointments in recent years.