Jak Jones vs Kyren Wilson LIVE: World Snooker Championship final score and result as Wilson wins first title
Jak Jones battled back but eventually fell short as Kyren Wilson won the final at the Crucible and claimed his first world title
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Kyren Wilson survived a stirring fightback from qualifier Jak Jones to win the world snooker title for the first time at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
Wilson struggled to contain his emotions as he wrapped up an 18-14 triumph over Jones, who fought valiantly after losing the first seven frames of the final, and reeled off three frames in a row from 17-11 to give himself some hope of an improbable revival.
Victory sealed a timely return to form for Wilson, who had arrived for his 10th tilt at the title on the back of his worst campaign in a decade, a solitary semi-final at the German Masters put into perspective by illness and injury afflicting his young family.
But he was made to work overtime by Jones, who looked down and out after losing the first seven frames, but staged a remarkable comeback and even threatened a maximum in the 30th frame before running aground after potting the first 12 reds and blacks.
Jones said at the presentation ceremony: “Congratulations to Kyren and his family, they deserve it. If anyone deserves it he does, so congratulations to them.
“It’s been an unbelievable tournament for me. About a month ago I was in my first qualifying match. It’s been a long month but I’m happy with it.
“I wouldn’t say (I came in) with a lot of hope. I just thought if I try my best, basically, see what happens. But when you’re playing someone as solid as Kyren, with such a good all-round game, it’s going to be hard to come back from a deficit like that so it wasn’t to be.”
Kyren Wilson 15-10 Jak Jones
Jones flukes a snooker tight behind the yellow, leaving Wilson scratching his head. He manages to hit a red but Jones is left with a pot, which he snaps up. However, just a few balls later he leaves himself a horribly thin pink to the right middle and it bounces off the far jaw!
Jones has wasted three good chances now to build a big break in this opening frame of the night, and has only 35 points on the board. Will Wilson take advantage?
Kyren Wilson 15-10 Jak Jones
It’s Jones who wins the safety battle, escaping from a snooker and then taking advantage of a mediocre shot by Wilson which leaves a long red on to the right corner pocket. Jones pots it with authority, then fires in the blue, but he quickly runs out of position and is forced to play safe. His break-building has just not been good enough to punish Wilson today.
Jones leads 26-4 as they begin another safety exchange.
Kyren Wilson 15-10 Jak Jones
It’s Jak Jones with the first look at the reds in this 26th frame, after potting one which had bounced up towards baulk from Wilson’s break-off. But a moment later, Jones misses the black off its spot! Oh dear. That’s been the story of Jones’s final so far, missing too many big chances.
Wilson comes to the table with nothing on and needing to play safe, 13 points behind.
Kyren Wilson 15-10 Jak Jones
Rob Walker is on the floor introducing the players. “Please welcome a player who has produced a life-defining run to the final. Can he rise and conquer today? The Silent Assasin, Jak Jones!”
“He is three frames away from fulfilling his promise. Here comes the Warrior, Kyren Wilson!”
Kyren Wilson 15-10 Jak Jones
“He certainly needs to win the first couple of frames,” Stephen Hendry says, of the task facing Jak Jones. “If he reels off some frame-winning breaks then that will put his opponent bang under it.”
Kyren Wilson 15-10 Jak Jones – World Snooker Championship 2024 final
Almost time for this final to resume.
Kyren Wilson needs three frames to clinch a first world title while Jak Jones, also gunning for his first major win, has a mountain to climb this evening.
Wilson lead 15-10 in this best of 35 frame contest (first to 18) so there is no margin of error for Jones when he heads back into the arena.
He’ll need to take every chance he gets, as well as a few half-chances, and put the pressure on Wilson early on. Anything less and the world championship will go to the Englishman.
Let’s find out how this tournament will conclude...
How much is the prize fund?
The World Championship is the richest prize in snooker with players sharing a total prize fund of £2,395,000. The winner will receive £500,000, with the runner-up pocketing £200,000 and the losing semi-finalists netting £100,000 each.
Last 112 - £5,000
Last 80 - £10,000
Last 48 - £15,000
Last 32 - £20,000
Last 16 - £30,000
Quarter-finalists - £50,000
Semi-finalists - £100,000
Runner-up - £200,000
Winner - £500,000
An additional £15,000 is available to the player who compiles the highest break (including the qualifying stage), while two maximums made across any of the three triple crown events this season will be rewarded with a £147,000 bonus.
Jak Jones 10-15 Kyren Wilson - World Snooker Championship 2024 final
Here’s where the afternoon session ended and where the two players will be picking up this evening. Kyren Wilson won the last two frames to restore his five frame lead and move within three of claiming the world title.
Will Ronnie O’Sullivan continue playing in England?
O’Sullivan said: “I’m contracted to do certain events in China, and I’m contracted to go to Saudi, so obviously they’ve got first dibs then it’s about spending time at home with the family.
“It’s first come, first served. I’m already signed up for eight or nine tournaments, so if I do really badly in them I might have to dip my toe in and play a few tournaments over here, but probably not.
“I don’t just turn up willy-nilly to events, there’s a tax to be paid. If people are prepared to pay it, I’ll get my cue out of my case. If they’re not, I’m content to never ever play again, and move on and do other stuff.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan casts doubt over playing future tournaments in Britain: ‘There’s a tax to be paid’
Ronnie O’Sullivan has warned he could quit playing tournaments in Britain after his quest for a record-breaking eighth world snooker title was shattered by Stuart Bingham in a major quarter-final upset at the Crucible.
O’Sullivan will jet off for an exhibition tour of China, Finland and Bulgaria next week, insisting he will pick and choose his future tournaments, and increasingly prioritise big-money offers from Saudi Arabia and the Far East.
The 48-year-old recently signed a deal with the Saudis which ironically commits him to signing a new contract with World Snooker Tour, in order to fulfil his obligation to play in the inaugural Saudi Masters in Riyadh at the end of August.
Ronnie O’Sullivan casts doubt over playing future tournaments in Britain
The 48-year-old was surprisingly knocked out of the World Championship by Stuart Bingham at the quarter-final stage
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