Confident Judd Trump says he is "easily playing well enough" to lift second UK Snooker Championship crown at York Barbican

The 2011 champion at the York Barbican swept aside Aditya Mehta 6-1 to set up a last 32 meeting with Scotsman Fraser Patrick.

Trump was playing his opening match in the tournament after a first round bye and the Champion of Champions finalist looked in good touch, breaks of 72, 110 and 62 ensuring his Indian opponent gave him little trouble.

The 25-year-old believes he is playing “easily well enough” to get his hands on the trophy once again on December 7.

Trump said: “I have got a lot of confidence. The way I am playing, in every tournament recently, I am showing a lot of form. It is taking something special to beat me every time I am losing.

“I know if I play like it - and I will play like it - I am fully confident. Hopefully, it is going to be a good week.”

“This is an important tournament but I am happy with how I am playing,” he added when asked what it would mean to win the UK for a second time.

“It is nice to be playing well again and it’s so much easier going into tournaments - feeling relaxed and knowing you are going to play well.

“A couple of times, recently, I have been playing slow and trying to make things happen but now it is coming back.”

Trump continued: “They (the balls) are just going in again and I am scoring quite heavily. I was sick of getting beaten by people lower down in the rankings.

“Two or three seasons ago I wasn’t losing to anyone like that and it just got to a point where you get home, you are watching it on the TV, and you get sick of it.

“I started to put the work in again and I am practising probably more than ever and I think it is starting to show out there.

“I am looking relaxed again.”

On Patrick, who hit a break of 139 in his 6-4 victory over Ryan Day, Trump said: “He’s had a good season from what I have seen. Before, no disrespect, I think he was a bit of a walkover and, this season, he seems to have really stepped up his game.

“He has improved a lot and he has had a lot of good results. For him to come to the UK Championship and get through two games, he must be playing well.”

Trump was joined in the third round by former champion Mark Williams thanks to a 6-0 whitewash of Jimmy Robertson.

The Welshman, who won the title in 1999 and 2002, has been struggling with neck and shoulder problems but he continues to score heavily - breaks of 51, 55 and 83 ensuring he enjoyed a swift evening.

He said: “Jimmy struggled a little bit and missed a lot of balls but I punished him and my safety was excellent. I had him in all sorts of trouble so many times and I forced the mistakes out of him.

“I kept the pressure on.”

On his injury, and current form, Williams added: “It seems to be easing a bit but I have had this for nearly four weeks now and it doesn’t affect my play at all. I got to the semi-finals in China and I should have two bad shoulders. I might get to the final then.

“I am getting some victories at the minute. I am playing quite well and scoring and I am just enjoying it at the minute.”