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.”
5 of the best World Snooker Championship finals
2019: Judd Trump 18-9 John Higgins
Judd Trump produced a devastating potting display to win his first world title, firing seven centuries in total and reeling off eight straight frames to turn the final around from 5-4 down.
It was John Higgins’ third straight final loss but the Scot was magnanimous in the face of such a stunning snooker assault. Five years later, the world still awaits a repeat performance from Trump.
5 of the best World Snooker Championship finals
2018: Mark Williams 18-16 John Higgins
Mark Williams capped an extraordinary career revival by winning his third world title 15 years after his first.
The 43-year-old Welshman arrived at the Crucible without a ranking title win in six years, and seemed as surprised as anyone by his resurgence.
In a high-quality final, John Higgins hauled back a 15-10 deficit to level at 15-15, before Williams found an extra gear to seal his improbable win.
5 of the best World Snooker Championship finals
1994: Stephen Hendry 18-17 Jimmy White
Jimmy White, who had lost in five previous finals, fought back from behind and finally had the title at his mercy. But with the magnitude of the occasion starting to dawn on him, White missed a black off its spot, and had to watch in agony as Stephen Hendry responded with a break of 58 to win his fourth world crown.
A shattered White would never find his way to a Crucible final again.
5 of the best World Snooker Championship finals
1985: Dennis Taylor 18-17 Steve Davis
The final that transcended snooker, as a television audience of 18.5 million stayed up after midnight to watch a thrilling black ball decider.
Steve Davis had the first chance but missed a thin cut, prompting commentator Ted Lowe to gasp: “No!”.
Dennis Taylor, who had lost the first eight frames of the match, stepped up to finish the job, blowing a kiss towards the trophy and waggling his finger at those who had doubted him.
5 of the best World Snooker Championship finals
1982: Alex Higgins 18 -15 Ray Reardon
After a classic tournament that saw defending champion Steve Davis bundled out 10-1 by Tony Knowles in round one, and one of the greatest all-time clearances by Alex Higgins to keep alive his semi-final against Jimmy White, the volatile Belfast star reeled off three frames in succession to sink Ray Reardon before tearfully beckoning his wife and baby daughter Lauren onto centre stage.
Who is Kyren Wilson?
“I turned professional because I wanted to win things,” Kyren Wilson told BBC Sport in 2018. “I am not just going be happy to reach the semi-finals or the finals of big events.
“I want my two boys to grow up and be able to say ‘my dad was more than a decent snooker player’. And to be well thought of, you need to be doing better than just reaching the latter stages of tournaments.”
Will Wilson achieve his dream of winning the world title this evening?
Who is Kyren Wilson? The snooker star edging closer to ending major title drought
For Kyren Wilson, another deep run at the World Championship could finally allow a man long tipped for a major title to fulfil the potential he has shown throughout his career.
Born in Kettering, the 32-year-old first turned professional in 2010 and soon established himself as one of snooker’s brightest young stars, recovering from a loss of form and regaining his World Tour card to return to the top tier of the sport in 2013.
Wilson immediately made an impact, forging a reputation as a player who could beat anyone on his day as he built the consistency required to challenge at the highest level. By 2015, it had arrived — at the Shanghai Masters, Wilson came all the way through qualifying to stun Judd Trump in the final and secure his first ranking title.
Who is Kyren Wilson? The snooker star edging closer to ending major title drought
The Englishman will start as the favourite when he faces Welsh qualifier Jak Jones in the World Snooker Championship final
“It’s pathetic”; Jak Jones hits out at opponents’ complaints over his style
“It seems like a common excuse that these players use against me,” said Jak Jones when asked if his style of play is too slow. “They are supposed to be the best players in the world but they are moaning about being knocked out of their rhythm.
“I don’t think 28 seconds a shot is slow for my first semi-final. Other players regularly go down to their late 20s but they always have to say the same thing after they lose against me.
“They just can’t accept it. It’s pathetic really, isn’t it. The worst thing I’ve noticed when I’m playing them is that I feel like they want to play that game. I couldn’t believe how Judd was playing against me – he completely changed as a player.
“It doesn’t bother me. It is easy to blame what I am doing but it is working so I will take it.”
World Championship finalist Jak Jones hits out at ‘pathetic’ complaints over style of play
Jak Jones headed into his first World Snooker Championship final blasting his “pathetic” rivals for putting their own demise down to his attritional style of play.
The 30-year-old became only the ninth qualifier to reach a Crucible final after securing a 17-12 win over Stuart Bingham late on Saturday night.
According to World Snooker Tour’s seasonal average shot times, Jones is the 107th slowest of 128 players on the tour, with each shot taking over 28 seconds. Only Zhang Anda in this year’s tournament was slower.
Jak Jones hits out at ‘pathetic’ complaints over style of play
The 30-year-old Jones became only the ninth qualifier to reach a Crucible final but his style has been criticised
Who is Jak Jones? The Welsh qualifier making history at the World Snooker Championship
It took Jak Jones time to reach snooker’s biggest stage but the Welshman has made his presence felt since stepping into the Crucible. Nine times the 30-year-old tried and failed to make it through qualifying for the World Snooker Championship before finally breaking through last year — but Jones has swiftly established himself as a Sheffield specialist.
The Welshman’s attritional style of play has not been to everyone’s taste, however. As Jones headed into his first World Championship final, he blasted “pathetic” criticism from opponents Stuart Bingham and Judd Trump, who both implied his frustrating tactics had affected their rhythm and ultimately contributed to their defeats.
Who is Jak Jones? The Welsh qualifier making history at the World Championship
The 30-year-old has made a surprise run to the World Championship final in Sheffield, where he faces Kyren Wilson
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