World Snooker Championship 2024: Kyren Wilson Holds His Nerve and Defeats Jak Jones in the Crucible Final

Kyren Wilson was beaten 18-8 by Ronnie O’Sullivan in the 2020 final, but after taking a 7-0 lead and holding a 15-10 lead at the start of the final session, the world number 12 put up a spirited fightback Challenge from Welsh qualifier Jak Jones to triumph 18-14 at the Crucible

Kyren Wilson staged a spirited comeback against Welsh qualifier Jak Jones in the final session to win the World Snooker Championship final 18-14.

Wilson, who took a 7-0 lead on Sunday afternoon and went into the final session as the clear favorite at 15-10, promptly took the first frame of the evening and came just two frames away from victory.

Jones, looking to become the first qualifier to be crowned at the Crucible since Shaun Murphy in 2005, duly responded with a break of 105 – his first century in the final – and took the next one before Wilson had a truly crazy third frame of the evening secured.

The Englishman moved a point away from victory after accidentally faking a re-scored black, after a couple of nervous errors in which Jones accidentally hit the pink while trying to pot a nearby red, and finally himself snookered by the yellow player to equalize.

Jak Jones won three frames in a row on Monday night, threatening a late comeback at the Crucible

Wilson’s nervous moments only continued when the winning post was in sight, as Jones played the next three frames midway through the session, including impressive breaks of 84 and 96 to reduce the deficit to three – as he did had already done so twice earlier on Monday afternoon.

But just like before, this spurred Wilson into action and the losing 2020 finalist – beaten 18-8 by Ronnie O’Sullivan – would secure an 18-14 win in the next frame and the £500,000 top prize.

Wilson led 7-1 after Sunday’s first session, with Jones only getting on the board thanks to a break of 65 in the final frame of the afternoon, avoiding becoming the first player since Dennis Taylor in 1985 to do so the first eight frames lost in the final.

Wilson was simply too hot for Jones as he scored two centuries – including a 129 in the opening game – and four more breaks over fifty to secure an initial 7-0 lead.

Jones won the first two frames on Sunday night, reducing his deficit to four, only for Wilson to respond with his third century of the game and a subsequent break of 60 to restore his six-frame lead as Jones failed to capitalize on opportunities that arose to use way.

The players traded the next two frames, with Wilson hitting in the fourth century, but Jones won the next two before Wilson grabbed the final shot to take an 11-6 lead on Sunday night.

On two occasions Monday afternoon, Jones cut the deficit to just three, but each time Wilson responded by winning the next two frames to take a 15-10 lead into the evening.

This meant Jones had the greatest comeback in history in the final session of the tournament, but despite his valiant effort the challenge proved too much.

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Sky Sports’ Cam Hogwood explains how the World Snooker Championship could move on from the tournament’s legendary crucible.

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