JUDD TRUMP was left snookered and needed help from the match referee after getting chalk stuck in his pocket at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.
The world No.1 was leading Mark Williams 25-18 in the first frame of their quarter-final when he went to chalk up.
However, there was an issue as he realised pretty quickly that he couldn’t get it out.
After struggling for a couple of seconds, Trump was forced to lean his cue on the side of the table and address the issue with both hands.
Fiddling around to try and release the chalk from his right trouser pocket, Trump informed the referee why the game had paused.
Looking perplexed, and perhaps a bit embarrassed, he went back in for another rummage only to be left empty handed again.
Trump then turned his whole pocket inside out and needed the referee to get involved.
With white gloves on, he went searching for an opening before asking: “Have you got it?”
The Juddernaut eventually did get the chalk out as he patted down his pocket for good measure, putting his whole hand in to make extra room.
The crowd in Saudi Arabia saw the funny side as they clapped, drawing a smile and laugh from Trump.
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World No.2 Kyren Wilson was on co-commentary duty for TNT Sports and offered his sympathy to Trump.
He said: “Do you know what? This is the problem that I find with wearing the waistcoats.
“We put our chalk in the waistcoat pocket.
“The amount of times the chalk can slip into your trouser pocket and you can’t pull it out.
“Because your hands are quite sweaty as well while you are playing.”
That was the only blip on an otherwise dominant display from Trump, who breezed into the semis with a 4-0 win.
He had been 18-6 down to Williams in frame one but came back before going on to destroy his opponent without much of a problem.
Trump hit a century – his 29th of the season – to round off the third frame and then cruised to the finish line in the fourth.
Speaking afterwards, he said: “It wasn’t vintage but I did the job.
“Still waiting for the win but there have been ups and downs to the season.
“I have lost some finals, that will happen in your career, it is all about how you bounce-back.
“I try not to put pressure on myself but I want to win every tournament.”
