Born 20 August 1989, Judd has been a professional player since he was 16, and has risen up the rankings every year to his current world ranking of 9.

Judd photographed here at the Grove Academy with Liu Song and Zhang Anda

As an amateur, Judd was English Under-13 and Under-15 champion and also reached the World Under-21 Championship semi-finals at the age of 14. At the same age, he became the youngest player ever to make a competitive 147 against Jin Foulger, beating a record previously held by Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Judd became the youngest player ever to reach the World Championship Finals in 2007. His biggest tournament to date has been the Grand Prix in 2008 when Judd beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-4 to reach the semi-final, in which he was defeated 6-4 by John Higgins. Judd also won a qualifying tournament to gain entry into the 2009 Masters Tournament as the only qualifier, but was defeated by Mark Allen in the first round.

In 2009 Judd qualified for the Premier League Snooker for the first time and had a great run, reaching the semi-finals before losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Judd joined the Grove Academy in Romford towards the end of the 2009/10 season, and started the 2010/11 season in good form, winning the unranked Austrian Open in May 2010 when he beat new World Champion Neil Robertson 6-4 in the final in Wels. His good form continued in the Players Tour events, culminating in winning the EPTC1 – The Paul Hunter Classic, in Hamm, Germany, winning seven straight games in the process. Judd put in a number of consistent performances all season until reaching the China Open, where he beat five players ranked above him including Mark Selby 10-8 in the final to take his first major ranking event.

Judd’s ascendancy continued with an excellent run at the World Championships in April 2011, his first appearance for four years. Having disptached reigning champion Neil Robertson 10-8 in the first round, Judd recorded victories against Martin Gould, Graeme Dott and Ding Junhui before losing an epic final to John Higgins 15-18.