World Championship recap – Wilson wins world title with tense win over Jones

A big congratulations to Kyren Wilson, who ends the season as the world champion and world No. 3. The World Seniors begins over the next few days with Jimmy White bidding for more glory at the Crucible.

Four years on from the heartache of losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final of the World Snooker Championship, Kyren Wilson is the Crucible champion after wrapping up victory over Jak Jones on Monday evening. The damage was done in the first session and Wilson kept his cool to win the title. Stream top snooker action live and on-demand on Eurosport and discovery+

“Firstly, I’d like to say sorry to Jak for that outburst, but it just means so much to all of us,” said Wilson, who rises to number three in the world after earning a £500,000 first prize. “This is Jak’s first final, let alone a world final. He’s conducted himself so well, and I’m sure he’ll be back. “

“If anybody deserves it, he does,” said qualifier Jones, who moves inside the world’s top 16. “It’s been a long month, but I’m happy with it. It wasn’t to be.”

Wilson slots the red he needs and in goes the blue with Wilson shouting out loud after securing the balls he needs. And there comes the handshake from Jones, the tears and the Wilson family join him on the main stage. Wilson is the world champion for 2024.

Another chance presents itself to Kyren as Jones goes for a double. It doesn’t drop and he leaves the red for Kyren. Who then opens up the pack of reds with a plant. Surely this is the moment for Kyren here and now. Nothing difficult left. But he is out of position on pink. In it goes to left centre. And he fires a red into the right middle. Inching towards the winning line.

This final is not slipping quietly into the night. Wilson is really toiling to get the frame he needs with several balls rattling in pockets. Black has gone safe which doesn’t help the situation.

Jones misses an escape on reds twice off a side cushion, and is then warned he could lose the frame. Manages to get a thin clip on a red. But leaves it for Kyren. And finally this is the chance he’s been waiting for. But he loses position on the next red off the black that is over the pocket. Just the safety to follow. This is a grim finale to the match for Kyren, who is really struggling to score.

The pressure is really mounting out there as Kyren can’t clip home a tricky cut on black off the spot. If Jak can win another frame, this final would be a live issue again you suspect. Jones goes for a tough plant to right centre. Nothing doing as Wilson then misses red to right middle across table.

And off we go for another frame of this 48th world final. Frame 32 and we are still on the go here. Looked a done deal at 17-11, but the gap has been halved.

Well, Wilson goes for a mid-range red. Doesn’t drop and Jak steps in to despatch the final two reds. Another frame on the board for the Welshman, who is set to trail 17-14 after this frame. Is the comeback on here? Three frames behind. And he flukes a yellow.

Stunning pot on a red along the top cushion by Wilson. That red dived down the pocket at some pace. Didn’t look possible. Two reds left up as Kyren is then forced to play safe. Looking for a snooker, but not quite there.

Brilliant pot on a red from Jak to continue his bid to extend this final before he decides to head off for a comfort break during middle of the frame.

Jones leaves the white in behind the green after a decent little cameo knock. Looks happy with his lot out there. Decent escape from Kyren.

All the scoring chances seem to be falling to Jak out there at the moment. The Welshman isn’t playing like a bloke who is resigned to his fate. In goes a tough pink to right centre. And on goes Jones. Kyren with 44 and 37 high breaks tonight so far. The scoring touch has gone for now.

Jak escapes from snooker, but leaves the red as Wilson returns to the table. Split on reds off blue isn’t ideal and Kyren misses a tricky cut on a red to right centre. But Jak responds by ramming in a wonderful long red. What a pot that is.

Brilliant long red by Kyren hits the back of the pocket, but he loses the cue ball seconds later and is forced to play snooker behind pink. Kyren still in a very strong position in this final.

Kyren goes for a long red. Can’t get the desired potting angle, and an easy opener for Jak, who gets the pack of reds open before he is forced to run safe.

Reaches the final three reds with blacks, but one red down the side cushion just eludes him. Such a tough table to make a maxi from. Still 96 is very nice. Back 17-13 behind.

Looks like we’re going to have a 31st frame in this final. Jones on for a possible 147 with six reds remaining on table. Wouldn’t be a bad time to make one.

Kyren is forced to sit and digest this break from Jak, who unearthed a quite marvellous pot to get this visit to the table moving. Plenty of reds to put frame to bed here and now.

What a thrilling pot by ‘The Silent Assassin’ as he buries a long red to land perfectly on the black. Now then, now then. What damage can he do here? Under normal circumstances, should really fancy the job.

Last push for glory for both men. Kyren seeing a cut on a red to the top pocket narrowly fail to drop. Jones goes for a mid-range red. Misses by miles, but red comes off two cushions and opens up the pack. He somehow doesn’t leave a pot for Kyren to attack. Just the safety shot.

A very solid contribution of 67 from Jak as he forces the final to another frame. Wilson leading 17-12. Almost a done deal, but not quite. Jones didn’t realise it was the mid-session interval. But off he goes.

Jones at the point of no return in this final and has suddenly let his cue arm relax. In goes a red to left centre that was a brilliant pot before he embarks upon his latest break. Looking to prolong the final into a final session after the mid-session break.

Kyren is somehow six frames clear despite being far from convincing with a red to left middle staying above ground. Early opportunity for Jak to extend this final beyond the mid-session interval, but he misses the black off spot on 17. Chances keep coming and going in this error-strewn final.

All happening at the Crucible as Wilson makes a mess of a safety shot, but Jones can’t slot a straight black from distance. What a chance to win the frame. And Wilson ends up fluking the black off three cushions. One frame from the title now.

Great clearance on the colours from Jones as he rolls in the black dead weight along top cushion for the re-spotted black. And we will have a black-ball game.

Another Jones blunder after missing the yellow as he ends up seeing the white disappear down a baulk pocket to leave himself needing all the balls to tie. But Jones then carts in a brilliant yellow along the top cush to keep alive his prospects.

A huge error from Wilson as can’t land on the yellow from potting blue. Brown is blocking it. Nothing more doing at this visit. Chance left for Jak to attack yellow to a top pocket, but just off the potting angle. And Jones then can’t escape from a snooker off one cushion.

Points all square heading for final two reds. Looks like a formality for Kyren and a 17-11 advantage in this final.

Nothing safe on this table. A golden chance for Jak to take out another frame. Just has to keep tight control of the white ball. Having to work the cue ball to get right side of blues and reds. Now into the lead in frame. But he then misses an easy red. Story of the match.

Would you believe that..Wilson all set to win the frame with one swipe, but somehow hits pink in trying to pot a red. That is a huge mistake. Jak back at the table out of nowhere.

A majestic opening red from Kyren. Didn’t touch the sides as it flew down a top pocket. The Kettering man gets first go at these balls. Looking to movw six frames ahead with a possible seven to play. Splashes open the reds off a red. What a chance this is.

And that is 105 of the very best from Jak, who produces his first century of the tournament. Five frames behind, but needs to win the next two frames to stay in the hunt.

This has been a blissful effort from Jak, who suddenly has chance of his first century of the final. Has taken these balls out with ease since knocking a red in off the black.

The scoring of Jak Jones needs to improve is he is going to claw his way back here. Really needs to be putting frames away in one hit. Fine chance to score here.

Wilson goes for a long red. Nowhere near the potting angle, but it comes back down table, collides with the red before dropping in the left centre bag. Chance for Wilson to assert himself early in the 27th frame. Out of position, but plays a decent shot to leave white behind green in baulk.

Several chances for Jones in the frame, but he can’t quite get over the line and leaves the final red escaping from a snooker. Kyren sizes up the task before taking out red, brown, yellow, green and brown to leave Jak needing a snooker. A 16-10 lead in the world final as Wilson chases two more frames. This final looks like a done deal.

Chance of a long red for Jak. Has a dart at the object ball, but well off the potting angle. No damage done though. Just the safety from Kyren.

Kyren into the lead in the frame. Just two reds left above board. One red on the side cushion is the problem ball. Brings the red off cush, but it runs safe to the other cush. Tries to dislodge it via blue, but can’t get the red back into play as white comes off middle jaws. 44 break. Just the safety to follow.

Jones with what looks like a telling safety as white ends up tight behind the yellow ball. Well, that could be a pivotal moment in the frame. Kyren faced with a hit and hope effort and hits one red, but doesn’t leave much. Jones responds by slotting red and a tough cut on black to green bag. But he misses the pink across the table to right centre. And another chance has been passed up by the Welshman.

Blistering long red by Jak and white gets a decent kiss on blue. Which he drops in the green bag. So back at the table here looking to extend his advantage in the frame. But he is back out of position after slotting pink. Just another safety.

Off we go then for the 26th frame of a possible 35 as Wilson brings a red up the table over left centre pocket from his break-off shot. And Jak slots that with some ease. White in and out of baulk. So first chance to score for ‘The Silent Assassin’. Nice swerve shot to slot red. And this is chance to build a decent lead. But he than misses black off spot at pace.

Almost ready to go with the final push for the world title as Kyren Wilson carries a 15-10 lead over Jak Jones into the concluding session. Wilson needs three more frames for victory, his first World Championship triumph. Jones requires eight more, but can’t lose more than two. It looks like Wilson is heading for the old trophy and the £500,000 first prize. Could even be done before the mid-session interval with four frames to be played in the first mini-session, but it is dangerous to assume stuff in snooker.

Thanks for joining us. We will be back with the conclusion of this year’s final just before 7pm with Kyren Wilson chasing only three more frames to become world champion for the first time. Does Jak Jones have anything left in the tank? Needs a fast, fast start this evening. See you then.

A 15-10 lead then for Wilson before this evening’s final session. Job done for Wilson this afternoon. 4-4 the session ends. Wilson chasing three more frames for victory.

The tension really building as Kyren makes 22 before thumping a red with too much pace. That is an unbelievable miss. Suddenly a reprieve for Jones that he didn’t see coming when he missed black. Only one red left on the side cushion. Moved the red, but then misses the yellow to right middle. Another dreadful miss. And that should be that. Jones faltering at the wrong time.

Jak Jones slots a tremendous long red, but then misses the black off the spot. That is a shocker, and Jak knows it. What a chance he has passed up there. Golden chance for Kyren to move five frames clear.

A quick knock of 32 from Kyren before a red to right centre comes back out. Didn’t see him missing that. Jones almost in behind the brown for a telling snooker, but pops back out.

Straight red from distance for Jak, but he hits across the white and red is nowhere near the target. Stun shot too. So easy opener presented to Wilson, who is not having to work for these chances. The final continues to rattle along at a very good pace.

Corking long red by Jak to get the party started in this 25th frame. Screws back to baulk so no colour to follow, but a solid safety shot off the yellow. Such a big frame in the context of this final.

So there we have it. A delightful clearance of 87 from ‘The Warrior’ to regain forward momentum. Only four frames short of the winning line in this final. One more frame to come then in this third session. The difference between five frames and three frames coming back tonight.

A solid response from Kyren as he produces a dominant display. Just when he needed it most. Back to a four-frame lead in this final.

Kyren doing well to steady the ship here after navigating some choppy waters in the past two frames. Should really see away this frame now.

Huge fluke for Jones as he butchers a safey shot, but somehow sees red drop down a top bag. Awkward cueing on the blue over another red, and he is well off the potting angle. But Kyren then misses a tough pink across table after dropping in red. All getting very tense in this world final as Jak than can’t slot a red from distance.

Huge two frames coming up of this third session. Jones is the man who refuses to go away in this final. But he misses a long red as the object ball narrowly fails to drop. Wilson slams in a mid-range red to get first go at the table in this 24th frame. But he is out of position on 13 and opts to run the white safe.

A 73 break from Jak as a brilliant red to right centre drops at pace. This final is suddenly right in the mixer. Anybody’s final now.

Jak looking very, very assured. And he is starting to move too between shots. Somebody in audience has taken ill so a bit of a delay in proceedings. Hopefully, all is well. But that delay is only brief. Jones pots blue and lands nicely on the next red. Still two reds needing moved. But not much more needed to reach snookers required.

Great shot by Jak as he clips in the black and lands nicely on the next red. The pack of reds also dislodged. This is looking like a very decent chance to move into double figures in this final. Which would be another little landmark moment for the Welsh underdog

Well, just when you thought it was safe to step back in the water, Wilson misses a red to left middle. Nerves starting to build out there. Jak rolls in a fine red using rest, and suddenly he is back in the box seat with cue in hand.

This final is far from over if Jak can pick up another two frames of this session. Would dearly love to trail only 14-11 ahead of tonight’s final sesh. Which is still a possibility as another blunder by Wilson sees Jones hole a brilliant long red. But he misses a straight blue to green bag. That was a twitch, and his frustrated reaction shows you that.

A lovely break of 90 from Jones as he continues his battle in this 48th World Championship final.

This is a quality response from Jones just when he needed it most. Still fighting the good fight with three frames to come of the session.

Superb screw shot by Jak to bring red back a few inches to land perfectly on black. Huge applause from the Crucible, and suddenly here is the chance to close to within four again. Jones still on course to win this session. Which was the main objective starting out.

Aggressive safety shot by Kyren leaves a red over the top bag, but Jak opts to go for a pink that didn’t look on after dropping in red. Ends up missing the pink by some distance, and suddenly Wilson is gifted a glorious chance to win another frame. Chance to mop up the tears as Jak returns to his seat, but he then misses a black off spot. Only 17 from the visit. Remarkable.

Error by Kyren gives Jak a simple enough start this time. Vital that he pieces together a few points this time. But doesn’t land on a red from the black and just the safety shot to follow.

Four more frames to come this afternoon. Wilson with the break-off this time. Jones goes for a long red. So close to dropping, but he at least gets cover on the red via the black. So no damage done.

No century for Kyren as a red is jawed on 83, but the job is more than done for this frame. The Kettering man again leads by five frames.

Break reaches 55 with seven reds left above board. Kyren drops in red to right middle as he continues his path towards finalising the frame.

Kyren given a start in this 21st frame, and he is so far happy to accept it. Looks very good for Wilson to again move five frames ahead. Which would be a real result after how the opening two frames of the third sesh began. White ball under lock and key here. Looks like 13-8 incoming.

Blunder by Jak in colliding with the blue from the break-off shot. Poor really from Jones at this level. An easy enough starter for Kyren as he slots red before running back down table for the colours.

Doesn’t matter how you win frames in this final. As long as you win them. A nice frame to settle Kyren down in restoring the lead to four frames. A break of 50 and a lead of 12-8 now.

Kyren finally on the move as a blue to yellow pocket disappears. Sweet strike on the white ball, but he almost misses red to yellow bag seconds later. Jones not taking his chance in this frame after butchering an easy red among the balls. Which could yet be a pivotal error. Jones cutting a dejected figure.

Wilson not finding this easy going so far today. Adds 12 points before knocking the black safe. Jones then slots another superb long red. Long game working to great effect today.

Jak sees a red elude him heading for right centre pocket. And Kyren rams in a mid-range red to top right-hand pocket. That is super cueing. Chance for Kyren to settle in here.

Jones with an early poke at a long red. Nothing doing and Kyren responds by carting home a red from distance to the opposite bag seconds later. Would dearly love to discover some scoring form. But only a brown to go with red. And safety it is.

Break moves to 58 from Jones as he continues to crack on here. In goes the red he needs to leave Kyren chasing a snooker. Glorious start to the day for the young Welshman. A 59 break as black to right centre doesn’t drop, but Kyren has seen enough as he heads for a comfort break. Game on!

This is look very, very promising for Jones to claw back another frame. Almost reduced the gap to three frames last night, but looks good to take the next step now. Wilson forced to digest the lead being reduced from seven frames yesterday avo.

Cue a bout of tense safety with reds getting moved to the other end of table with white screwed back to the top cushion. Jones then produces a fabulous pot on a red to the left centre pocke. Lands on blue, and suddenly has chance to build a lead in this frame.

So Wilson continues his hunt for a maiden world title, but he is the hunted at the moment. Jones breaks off the 19th frame of the final. Three more frames before the mid-session break. Wilson tries to play a safety shot, but ends up with the double kiss of a red in centre of table. Mid-range red for Jak to attack. Which he buries. But he then misses red to left centre when he expected to score.

In goes the blue from distance, and that 64 break is key to this final being reduced to only four frames. Wilson led 7-0 yesterday, but Jones has won seven of the next 11 frames to mount this recovery.

A fine break of 64 from Jak as the final red drops down a side cush using the rest. Excellent pot. Two snookers needed on the colours for Kyren. Jones a strong favourite to close back to within four frames. And in goes the yellow with a swerve shot. Now three snookers required.

Excellent shot by Jak to come in and out of baulk to land on the blue. Four reds remaining here, and none of them look too challenging. Ideal opportunity to win the first frame of the day for the ‘Silent Assassin’. Wilson left to wonder what might have been.

Jones picks out a supreme cut on a red from distance. What a shot that is. Wilson punished for not getting the white ball tight on the baulk cushion. A very decent chance to launch the counter attack here.

Jones slotting a brilliant long red straight off the bat after coming down the stairs at the Crucible to a huge ovation amid the sounds of Dakota by the Stereophonics, but he misses a blue to the green pocket seconds later to give Wilson chance to score with hand on table. Nice to get moving early on, but he is out of positon on 32 and is forced to run safe.

This duo have faced each other six times outwith this final with Wilson 5-1 up on the career head-to-heads. Wilson was a 6-0 winner in the UK Championship last 64 three years ago with Jones a 5-4 winner at the same stage of the 2021 German Masters.

The final day of the final, snooker’s biggest showpiece match, and the 48th World Championship with a new champion set to be crowned. Kyren Wilson holds an 11-6 lead heading for home and will rise to number three in the world if he can win another seven frames. But it is far from a done deal with Jak Jones aiming to continue his comeback today after losing the first session 7-1, but reducing his arrears to 11-6 last night. He’ll be looking to win this third session at least 5-3 which would enable him to return this evening trailing only 14-11. Easier said than done. If Wilson repeats yesterday opening blitz, we wouldn’t need another session tonight. Boys on baize at back of 1pm.

But Eurosport’s Alan McManus reckons Jones’ steely handshake to end Sunday said a lot.

“Some of the best statements that you see from players out there are the ones that aren’t actually said at all,” ‘Angles’ said.

“It’s the look in the eye, I loved the handshake. Jak kind of looked at him, it was like ‘see you tomorrow’. That’s what his eyes were saying, he wanted to look Kyren in the eye.

“Tomorrow’s all business and I’ve got you in my sights – it was one of those.”