Judd Trump bigs up new snooker rivalry for 'next 10 years' with O'Sullivan future in doubt

has hailed snooker world champion and believes the 32-year-old can rival him for the next 10 years. Trump and Wilson are in action in the final of the Northern Ireland Open for , with the world champion dominating the early stages of the match as he raced into a 4-0 lead.

Trump set up a showdown with Wilson after thrashing Elliot Slessor 6-0 in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Wilson, meanwhile, overcame Pang Junxu in his last-four encounter to continue his fine form across the year, with the Warrior getting the better of Jak Jones in the final of the in May.

"It is a great match up with Kyren," Trump explained ahead of his clash with Wilson. "Over the next 10 years, with his hunger and my hunger, we are going to be meeting a lot. It's nice to have someone pushing me and going away to give their all every single time. It is good to have that kind of rivalry when you reach the top and we are both really enjoying it.

"I think he has improved a lot. From where he was a couple of years ago he has gone to another level. Him playing a lot faster has helped. He was very methodical, but he now looks like he enjoys what he's doing.

"You can see a difference in him. The way he walks round the table is different. I had the same thing as well. It is nice to see someone who has become world champion go away and really work at it."

Trump is currently top of the snooker world rankings, directly ahead of Wilson, and will be hoping to land a whole host of titles in the years to come. The talented potter will be eagerly anticipating Ronnie O'Sullivan's next move, with the 48-year-old often standing in the way of tournament success in the past.

The Rocket's form has nosedived this year and it is unclear how long the blockbuster star will continue in the sport before he decides to call it a day.

After being dumped out of the English Open in September, he explained: "I'm absolutely useless. Forget about the Worlds. I'm not even bothered to be honest with you, if I'm going to play rubbish I might as well play left-handed. Play left-handed and enjoy it but be useless, or play right-handed be useless and not enjoy it."

He then told Radio 4 at the start of this month: "I think I've got maybe, if I want it, three really good years.

"That depends on if I'm fully devoted to it and I'm kind of like, 'snooker is all I'm going to do for the next three years'. Which I can do.

"I can still perform, I can still be a top eight player doing that but to fully give yourself the best opportunities it's about being totally on it, you know. It's whether I'm prepared to do that."