“I have dreamed of this moment – it was so lovely to have the family there and let out emotions because we have been on a real rollercoaster of a journey since I was six years old.”
Kyren Wilson
Introduction
Every professional snooker player’s dream is to win the World Championship, and in the Ronnie O’Sullivan era, that task remains a big ask with a whiff of 1977 in the air this year at Sheffield. The first year of the tournament played at the Crucible, where three qualifiers, John Pulman, Dennis Taylor and Cliff Thorburn, all reached the semi-finals. Their 2024 successors were Jak Jones, Stuart Bingham and Dave Gilbert. Yet, in the end, it was Jak Jones and Kyren Wilson who got a crack at the crown—the Kettering Warrior against his apprentice.
Before this tournament, neither of these names would have been apparent tips for the title. Although I fancied Jones’ chances, my gut was leaning towards Kyren. The 32-year-old who was persuaded as a six-year-old to pick up a cue by Peter Ebdon and would have a rocky ride on the tour, spending only one season on it before falling off it, and it took three attempts at Q School before he regained his card. If he hadn’t been successful at that time, he was privately saying to his wife, Sophie, that he would have to explore another career path. Thankfully, that never happened, and we were allowed to see this player grow. A player who has already won the 2015 Shanghai Masters, 2018 Paul Hunter Classic, 2019 German Masters, 2022 European Masters and a finalist at the 2020 World Championship, losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan 8-18.
The Litmus Test
Jak Jones produced a brave effort in the final, producing glimmers of brilliance. When he gets going, his long potting is impressive, but probably due to the occasion and lack of sleep, he made too many schoolboy errors. The writing was on the wall in the first session when his opponent steamrollered a 7-1 lead. Jones was always in catch-up mode throughout, freely admitting that he gave himself too much to do. There were glimmers of a chance for this player ranked 44th, going 9-8 ahead in the following two sessions. At 15-10 ahead at the start of the final session, it looked all over, but Jones would make Wilson jangle with a 17-14 gap and a potential 147 break, lost on the thirteenth red
Yet there is plenty to celebrate. Jones is £200,000 richer. The most he has ever earned in snooker, and most importantly, he has captured the hearts of a nation. Anyone who says this is a one-off doesn’t know what they are discussing. You don’t get to the final of the World Championship by chance. It’s a marathon that only a few can complete, and I am confident that this Jak in a Box will be back and claim silverware sho.
As for Kyren, he just showed us what I always knew. Ever since I first saw him play on Eurosport as a rookie, I knew he was a class act. In his pomp, Kyren is spellbinding and unstoppable. I love how he compiles a break and doesn’t fear the challenging shots. Barry Stark, his coach, has worked wonders with him, and he is no longer a shy and reserved player. He ticks that box of being prepared to spill his last pint of blood on the table.
This was proven when he crossed the winning line. Roaring out loud with tears in his eyes as he potted the winning ball, you could see how much this meant to Kyren. He had reached the top of the snooker mountain: a long climb and one full of pitfalls. £500,000, richer and number three in the world, Wilson has now won the most prized of the Triple Crown titles. He was a champion and not the wounded player he looked like four years ago after losing to Ronnie.
Defeat causes you to reflect, regroup and gain strength. Wilson is a different player now. He joins an elite club of a chosen few and becomes an even more dominant force to be reckoned with. His day of reckoning has passed, and the label of possible world champion has been removed. This proud father marches on.
