Kyren Wilson is targeting the world number one spot in the rankings after capturing his maiden World Snooker Championship title in Sheffield.
The 32 year-old beat Jak Jones 18-14 to claim the world crown at the Crucible Theatre on Monday, pocketing a mammoth prize worth £500,000.
With that success, Wilson has risen to a career-high world ranking of number three – behind only Mark Allen and Judd Trump.
Despite losing in the second round of this year’s World Championship, Allen ended the 2023/24 snooker season at the summit.
The Pistol representes only the 12th number one in history, but Wilson could be on course to become the 13th if he can sustain his current level of form.
“I don’t think it has (sunk in) to be honest. My phone has been non-stop,” England’s Kyren Wilson told Sky Sports News.
“I got back from Sheffield on Tuesday afternoon. I got the phone out and came across a video of me clearing up to win the world title.”
“A beautiful little moment that I wasn’t actually fully aware of at the time was, one of my sons Finley – he’s only nine years old – was shouting down my ear at the Crucible, ‘Dad, you’re a world champion,’ and I just burst out crying.
“Even at home after it’s all happened live, so yeah I think it’ll take some time to sink in.
“My mum and dad have totally sacrificed their lives the whole time. They have remortgaged the house numerous times.
“They bought a derelict house that hadn’t been lived in for 40 years just because it had the potential to build a snooker room on the back.
“A beautiful moment to have them down and celebrate this win with me. It makes all the blood, sweat, and tears all worth while.
“It’s taken me up to world number three, so I think on the horizon is pushing for that world number one spot.
“That’s something I would love to tick off, but it’s beautiful that I’m now a part of history.
“One of the fascinating things for me has been looking around at the names that have won this trophy – right since 1925-26.
“It’s got such a long bout of history, and obviously my name’s going to go on there. I said previously, I wouldn’t be happy if I just won one throughout my career.
“At the age of 32 now, I’m coming into my prime. I’ve got the first one out of the way, which I believe is the hardest one to win, hopefully there’ll be many more.”
One of the hot topics during the 2024 World Snooker Championship surrounded the Crucible Theatre’s destiny as the host venue for the prestigious tournament.
The Crucible has staged every World Championship since 1977, but its future beyond 2027 – when its current contract expires – is up in the air.
“I hope it never moves,” Kyren Wilson said. “It is pure theatre in there, it is so intense, so compact.”
“The atmosphere is like no other. I don’t think you can create the same intensity in a big vast venue.
“I understand why there’s talk of it. There’s a massive demand for snooker at the moment in all parts of the world.
“It’s a great position for the game to be in, but for me, it was so important to make sure that I lifted it this year.
“Because if I ever got the chance to lift this trophy and it wasn’t at the Crucible, for me in particular I don’t think it would have had the same effect.”
Featured photo credit: WST
