Star Player Of The Season

David Hendon - Judd Trump

This depends to a degree on your definition of star player. Kyren Wilson won four ranking titles last season and didn’t win Player of the Year. I think we take Judd Trump for granted too much, as if it’s just inevitable he will win three or four titles a year. What he’s done for the last few seasons has been remarkable. The other players certainly respect it. Based on the great run he’s been on you have to think that if anyone will win multiple titles, it will be him – but this doesn’t make it easy. There’s also an argument that whoever wins the World Championship is ultimately the star player of the year.

Phil Haigh - Zhao Xintong

After he cruised to a World Championship win it is hard to see Zhao not winning more trophies this year. He can forget about defending his title as the Crucible Curse will get him, but expect two, three or even more titles before that.

Shane MacDermott - Mark Allen

One of the game’s most consistent winners in recent years, the Pistol has all the attributes to have a big say during the 2025/26 season. His own harshest critic, one title and five semi-finals last term were not enough for Northern Ireland’s No.1 and he is desperate to keep adding to his title tally.

Neil Goulding - Judd Trump

There's so many superlatives you can use to describe Judd - and all of them are richly-deserved. He dazzled last season with three titles and reached no fewer than three other finals and five semi-finals. His appetite for success - and to add to his 30 ranking titles - shows no signs of diminishing.

Michael McMullan - Zhao Xintong

We've seen quite a few first-time world champions retreat back into the pack when the following season begins, but the ones you expect to thrive on it generally do, and I'd certainly put Zhao in that category. If he wins another tournament early on, I could definitely see him winning a few more as the season goes on, much as Kyren Wilson did in the same situation last time round.

Nick Metcalfe - Kyren Wilson

It's a bit Eeny, meeny, miny, moe this between Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson. I see no reason why the top two players of the 2024-25 season won't be riding high at the top of the game again. I think I'll lean towards Wilson. He beat Trump in three tournament finals last season after all, and in a funny way may feel he has a little something to prove again after his exit to Lei Peifan on the opening day of the World Championship. Trump is of course just a phenomenal star of the game, and I fancy he'll win multiple titles yet again. But I reckon Wilson will win more.

25/26 World Snooker Tour Season - Journalist Predictions