We head to Southern China now, and snooker's Haikou Open. The main attraction for many Chinese fans is the nation's top player Ding Junhui, but one of the most popular international stars is world number one Judd Trump. And as our Peter Koveos reports, the "Juddernaut," as he is known, also has a fondness for his fans in Middle Kingdom as well.
Judd Trump was in top form in his first appearance Tuesday night at this year's tournament. The 23-year-old arrived 40 minutes before his match in an effort to prepare.
He would warm up with Australian Neil Robertson in the players' lounge and the pair both looked calm and confident.
With a smile on his face, Trump headed out to meet his opponent. And he was also greeted with crowds of fans waiting to watch the superstar's performance.
A Chinese snooker fan said "Trump is the person I prefer to watch play snooker. I like the way he plays, quick and decisive. He also has a lot of energy."
Another fan said, "I like Trump, as well as snooker. I like the way he plays, it is similar to the way I would play. It is enjoyable to see him in action."
The world number one, gave his Chinese fans something to cheer about as he thrashed his opponent Mark Joyce 5-0.
Trump is now back on top of the world standings, thanks to his semi-finals performance at the last ranking tournament - the Welsh Open.
As for this event, Trump is happy to be playing in China, but thinks that there are ways to improve the tournament.
It's just not in snooker, where Trump shines, in the world of social media he is also a star -- as his 190-thousand Weibo followers in China can attest.
The Juddernaut is a fan of the microblog, because it offers him a chance to communicate with his Chinese fans.
Chinese fans will get to see Trump next during the round of 16, where he will play Nigel Bond.
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