Becoming world champion 'means everything' to snooker star Kyren Wilson

The Kettering potter saw off the stubborn Jak Jones 18-14 in Monday's final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield to become the world champion for the first time.

The 32-year-old looked to be cruising to glory when he opened up a 7-0 lead in the first session of the final, but Jones showed great character and skill to fight his way back into the match, and take it to late in the the final session.

But despite Jones' exceptional efforts, Wilson always had his nose in front, never allowing his advantage following that flying start to slip below a three-frame lead, and in the end he got over the line.

It was an emotional moment for Wilson as he became the 28th champion of the world, and the normally placid player even allowed himself a fist pump and shout of 'come on' when he hit the match ball in a break of 42, something for which he was quick to apoligise to his opponent for.

After his win, an emotional Wilson was congratulated and embraced by his sons Finley and Bailey and wife Sophie, as well as his parents Sonya and Rob and brother Tayler, who all got to pose with the iconic Championship trophy.

For Wilson, winning the world title is the ultimate reward for all of the hard work he has put into his career since first picking up a cue as a young boy.

"I have dreamed of this since I was six years old," said Wilson, who said he was going celebrate his title win with a few beers and a kebab!

"To win it with all my family there was just how I imagined it.

"Jak fought and made it so hard for me, it was tough to hold it all together.

"In the last frame I just kept potting balls and suddenly I had potted match ball and I was world champion. It means everything."

The final was the second of Wilson's career.

He lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2020, going down 18-8, and it has been a tough road back, with Wilson suffering second-round defeats for the past two years.

"I was gutted to lose the final to Ronnie in 2020 and if that had been my only final I would have been heartbroken," admitted Wilson, who trains and is based at Barratts Club in Northampton.

"I remember being drained in the first session of that final (against O'Sullivan). This time I felt great, and when I saw Jak I thought he might struggle, I knew that was the moment to kick on.

"From 7-0 I knew I just had to avoid losing a session heavily, and to keep making it hard for him.”

The Crucible win means Wilson is not only the world champion and £500,000 richer, he has also shot up the world rankings to number three, behind only Mark Allen and Judd Trump.

And he admits he is now setting his sights on Allen's top dog status and claiming that coveted world number one slot.

"I've always believed if you win the world title, you give yourself a real shot at being world number one," said Wilson, who is nicknamed the Warrior.

“It's something that's high on the agenda, it's something that you want to tick off the list.

"And if you can be remembered as a world champion and a world number one, you've conquered it for me.”