Six-time world snooker champion Steve Davis has offered to house Judd Trump after the 36-year-old was forced to flee his Dubai home following the escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Trump relocated from England to Dubai in January 2024, citing better weather and training facilities, but was compelled to leave in February after US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory actions across the region.
Speaking at the World Open in March, Trump described his precarious situation: 'I had to leave [Dubai] so we went to Bangkok. It's a bit up in the air at the moment. I don't really think I can go back, just in case I get stuck there. Just kind of looking for somewhere else to live.' He added that he had been living in hotels and that every day was different, making it difficult to plan ahead.
Trump has since returned to the UK for the Tour Championship, where he lost 10-3 to Zhao Xintong in the final. It remains unclear whether he has been able to return to his Dubai residence. Davis, who lives in Trump's former home city of Bristol, extended an open invitation: 'He can come back to Bristol. I can put him up here if he wants! Maybe he'd be happier sort of getting away from it.'
Davis, 68, suggested the upheaval could fuel Trump's performance at the Crucible but stopped short of predicting a world title victory. 'There are a lot of very good players at the top and obviously the top 16 is more volatile than it's ever been before,' he said. 'Any player that's won an event this year has done very well, but so many players are capable of winning.'
Meanwhile, defending champion Zhao Xintong faces the Crucible curse, as no first-time winner has ever retained the title. Davis acknowledged Zhao's capability but remained sceptical: 'He's well capable. He's shown some strong form at the end of this season. But I just think it's odds against anybody doing it.'
