World Championship final recap - Kyren Wilson leads as Jak Jones fights back at the Crucible
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Updated 05/05/2024 at 22:41 GMT+1
Welcome to Eurosport's live coverage of the 2024 World Snooker Championship and after two weeks of top class action, a new champion is set to be crowned. Kyren Wilson overcame David Gilbert in his semi-final while Jak Jones stunned Stuart Bingham to take his place in the showpiece event. Both men are looking for a first ever world title.
‘Finishing with a flourish’ - Jones seals place in World Championship final
Video credit: TNT Sports
That's us for tonight
Thanks for your company, join us again tomorrow from 12.45pm BST for the final day of the 2024 World Championship. Judging by that session tonight, there's still plenty of drama left in this one.
Kyren Wilson stays in front after thrilling session
The baize, everyone; there's nothing like it. That was a tremendous session of snooker in which both players contributed equally. Jak won it 5-4, reducing his overall deficit by one frame, but that doesn't nearly tell the story. Starting the night 7-1 behind, breaks of 75, 62 and 90 helped guide him to a position where he's got a fighting chance tomorrow. As for Kyren, he registered two superb centuries but will surely be most pleased with his seven point visit with the final shot of the match. That black to settle that extraordinary final frame maintains a healthy lead in the match for Kyren, who departed the arena punching the sky in triumph.
Wilson 11-6 Jones
Kyren leaves Jak a look at a double to the yellow pocket. Jak is tempted and takes it on...and it's close but spits out of the jaws! He's left it, but he's also left the white on the bottom cushion, twelve feet away. Oh my days, this next shot is huge. Kyren composes himself...and he's drained it to take the frame! What a moment, the difference between a three frame lead overnight or a five frame one. Jak wins the battle of the session but in winning that little war on the black, Kyren leaves himself just seven frames from glory.
Wilson 10-6 Jones (59-64)
One ball, seven points, and it will set the mood for the second day of the final. This is ridiculous pressure, and the families of the players can barely watch. The players are doing a fine job so far of keeping the black safe, with any miscalculation likely to cost them a seismic frame. Jak has the first crack at a pot, a thin cut to the yellow pocket, but overcuts it; Kyren has the same shot, and he overcuts it too! This is unbelievable. Jak has another yahoo at an even thinner cut to that pocket...and it misses and runs safe again! We're partying like it's May 1985 here, you cannot beat late night drama at the Crucible!
Wilson 10-6 Jones (59-64)
Kyren does cut the yellow, and takes the green with the rest; the brown goes too, and a superb, nerveless mid-range blue to bottom right goes too. Pink to black is difficult, long-ish to the green pocket...and he's missed it! Can Jak cut the pink into the same pocket? No! And he's left the same shot for Kyren. My word. Kyren takes it on...and he's drained it and landed low on the black! What a shot this is for the frame...and it's close but rattles out of the jaws of the bottom left and goes safe! This game!
Wilson 10-6 Jones (39-64)
What a shot here from Kyren, trapping Jak behind the green near the bottom right, with the yellow some 10-11 feet away in baulk. This is tough, because if Jak misses it there's the danger of leaving it on or leaving a free ball. Jak tries a two-cushion escape, and it's perfect, catching the yellow full ball. He's not out of the woods yet; Kyren lays another snooker, white behind pink in baulk. Jak tries to swerve the white around it...and he's missed it! Frame back on, and Kyren cut cut yellow to right middle!
Wilson 10-6 Jones (35-64)
Jak lands on the wrong side of the blue, leaving a mid-range red to bottom right to keep the break going. It's driven in with authority, and black-red-black follow as he brings in a half-century and drops in behind the final red on the left rail. This and a black will need Kyren needing snookers. Jak makes sure of the red leaving a tough black with the white near the right rail. Jak takes it on, and just about wobbles it in! Cheers go up, but he then misses a long yellow to it's own pocket. Kyren needs one snooker, and the balls are all in the open.
Wilson 10-6 Jones (35-27)
Here's the key shot, as Kyren stuns a red into the bottom left and cannons into the pack. He comes off the side a touch, and almost goes in-off in the right middle. That leaves a tough green to left middle, and he's missed it! Jak is in, with an easy starter and a lot to go at. there's just as much pressure on this break as there was on Kyren's, and Jak will need to steel himself now. One red has gone safe-ish to the left rail and one is tied up by the pink, so there's work to do here. Jak's counter is on 27 and counting, and there's a hush around the Crucible.
Wilson 10-6 Jones (26-0)
Deep breath then, here we go. Jak has already guaranteed winning this session, if he goes on to take it 6-3 what a day we've got in store tomorrow. It's Kyren that gets first look though, draining a long red to bottom right after a poor break-off from Jak. The green follows and Kyren moves down to the business end of the table, clearing away reds from around the black. He'll know how big this visit is, and will be emptying the tank to get this frame over the line.
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'One of the centuries of the tournament' - Wilson makes his fourth ton of World final
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wilson 10-6 Jones
Give this frame it's cocoa and tuck it in for the night, it's done. Jak sails over the winning line, the only question now is whether he can turn this into a century. That will mean shifting a red off the right rail, or dropping in behind it, but he doesn't get that far as he misses the second to last red to end his break on 90.
Get situated, because we've got the biggest frame of the match coming up.
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Wilson produces pinpoint placement to get on blue from red in World final
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wilson 10-5 Jones (0-56)
Jak picks a red out of the middle of a loose cluster of five, opening up the pathway for the other four to go. The black follows to bring up the half-century, and he's only a few reds and high value colours away from reducing the deficit to four. This is superb snooker, from both players.
Wilson 10-5 Jones (0-20)
Kyren breaks off, and here goes Jak again, clattering a red into the bottom right and pulling up on the green! We've seen some pots tonight, and here's another great shot; early in his break Jak goes into the pack off the black, and the split lands like a practice table. He's right in the groove now, and if he can see this break over the line it sets up an enormous final frame.
Wilson 10-5 Jones
Kyren escapes the snooker, and Jak responds by launching the yellow into the bottom right with such comic book force it should be accompanied by the KAPOW! frame from those sixties Batman episodes. When Jak misses the green, Kyren waves the frame off. On we go, with two big frames coming up.
Wilson 10-4 Jones (32-66)
Jak resumes control, gliding in a long red and landing on the yellow. He's now going to need the one safe red left on the left rail though, so we've still got some drama left in this one. Jak tidies up what's in the open and then drops in behind the final red. This is a huge shot, frame ball...and he's dropped it in perfectly! Jak hadn't bothered with position there, giving the pot everything, and tucks Kyren in behind the pink, needing two snookers.
Wilson 10-4 Jones (32-46)
Oh my days, how big could this be? On 39 and cruising, Jak inexplicably misses a black off its spot; with only five reds left, the frame was his for the taking. We could be going into the trenches here as Kyren can only take red-black before blowing position on his next red, and having to play safe. This upcoming stanza could be a crucial moment in this final.
Wilson 10-4 Jones (24-30)
Jak traps Kyren in a brutal snooker tight behind the green; escaping this and leaving nothing on looks so difficult. Kyren jokingly asks the crowd for help, and the advice coming back is to give it the 'Maguire' and smash his way out of trouble. When the tittering dies down Kyren tries a three cushion escape, but sends the white into the black. It won't get put back because there's an easy starter on, and Jak can counter. Kyren's lead is soon gone, and a dish here will keep Jak on Kyren's coat tails.
Wilson 10-4 Jones (24-0)
Jak goes big for a red to left middle at the start of frame 15, playing it deadweight. It's close, but it comes off the lower knuckle and sitting up for Kyren as a cut to the yellow pocket. Kyren drains it, and just about lands on the blue. It's another chance to score something significant, particularly when he pots a red above the black to leave said black available to both corners. He opens the pack off a red and then plugs a brown into the right middle, but he's not landed on his next red so plays safe back to baulk. It would've been easy for Kyren to get carried away there and have a yahoo at a double, but he's wisely got his matchplay head on here.
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'Listen to the crowd' - Jones wows Crucible with brilliant long red
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wilson 10-4 Jones
He's getting there. Kyren is into double figures now, and just eight frames away from the title; that ton was his fourth in this final. We've got three frames to go though, so Jak could give Kyren something to ponder if he goes on to win the session here.
Wilson 10-4 Jones
Kyren puts the frame to bed, and he's cueing the white like a dream here. What a shot this is to get to 87 - he's creamed the blue into the bottom left and come off two cushions to split a red away from the black. Kyren then shifts the final red off the left rail and over the left middle, and he's in pure exhibition mode now. The colours are cleaned up in emphatic, carefree style, and with power and pace; only the black fails to go as Kyren misses it off the knuckle of the right middle. That was a sensational, thrilling 122, one of the best tons of the tournament.
Wilson 9-4 Jones (53-0)
Kyren is playing some big shots here, in and out of baulk off two cushions off the blue and then a mid-range wallop on a red to bottom left to follow. A pink into left middle, again going through baulk and off two cushions, brings up another half-ton and lands him plum on his next red. Let's call this what it is; its the kind of snooker played by a man who believes he can and will be world champion.
Wilson 9-4 Jones (26-0)
A poor shot from Jak at the start of frame 14 leaves a red over the bottom left. It's gun barrel straight but Kyren nails it and screws back for the black, a superb shot. He then goes on to make a smart 21 before smashing in the blue and opening the pack. They've flowered open very nicely indeed, and freed up the pink to boot. This is a great chance to fire right back at Jak.
Wilson 9-4 Jones
He's not going away. In playing one red onto the other chuckles are raised as both reds disappear into the pocket off the same shot. A swift break of 17 tidies up the frame for Jak, who is chipping away at Kyren's lead again.
Wilson 9-3 Jones (22-57)
Kyren plays an attacking safety, opening the pack, but a red drifts right over the bottom left and Jak is on it. The pot goes - just - and this is now a chance to win the frame. Jak doubles his lead with a black to bottom right, but after potting his next red he finishes high on the black, and this is a huge shot. He takes the cut on to bottom left #, but doesn't get enough on it and it hangs in the jaws. Could Kyren punish Jak again here? one red is over near the right rail and the brown is on the top cushion, so there's a couple of out balls for Jak. To reach 22 Kyren is forced to go in and out of baulk off the blue, leaving a tough cut with the rest to bottom right. Kyren takes it on...and he's left it hanging in the jaws! Jak can't see the red, but can play another one onto it. What drama here!
Wilson 9-3 Jones (0-28)
Once more unto the breach. Frame 13 opens with a pearler of a safety from Jak, wedging Kyren in tight behind the brown near the baulk cushion. Kyren escapes, but he's left a red on to the bottom left. Jak buries it, booms in the black with reverse side and sets about putting another break together. A pink to right middle trickles to the target and flirts with not dropping before it eventually does. This is a good effort so far, but Jak is running out of free reds and is the wrong side of the blue to open the pack. He crashes the pink into the yellow pocket but doesn't land on a red that's above the black, and it's end of break on 28.
Wilson 9-3 Jones
After landing straight on the black Kyren powers it in and sends the white off two cushions to land plum on the final red. This is nerveless stuff, and when the blue goes to the green pocket soon after, it's the baulk colours for the frame. Kyren duly dispatches them, and completes yet another half-century as he empties the table for a 60 and the frame. In the context of the match that's a telling visit from Kyren, restoring his lead to six frames and ensuring that Jak didn't win the mini-session.
Fascinating stuff, as the players troop off for the interval. We'll be back in 15.
Wilson 8-3 Jones (38-41)
Kyren brings all remaining reds into play with an attacking safety, but doesn't get the white in behind the green. Jak is forced into going for the only red he can see, a cut to the bottom left, but misses it by a big margin and leaves Kyren on a red to the green pocket. Kyren drives that in with the rest, followed by the green; he's now at the business end of the table and the frame could well go here. Another good rest shot from Kyren sees the black go in and then get put back in its natural home. Everything is now in the open for a steal.
Wilson 8-3 Jones (18-41)
What. A. Pot. From said position on the top cushion, Jak deadweights in a stunner of a long red, coming off the bottom cushion to hold for the black. Chapeau! Can he now cash that in and win the frame? Not at this visit; on 28 he lands stuck behind a red and can't get through to the pink, and is forced to play back to baulk. A missed opportunity there, that was a careless positional shot.
Wilson 8-3 Jones (18-13)
We're into another safety exchange, and a dangerous table is steadily developing as reds begin to scatter. Jak decides to gamble everything on a red to right middle, but misses it off the low knuckle; in steps Kyren to pick off a mi-range red, and he's away again. On 18 he's lost position slightly and is forced into a tricky red to bottom left, which rattles in the jaws and spits out; Kyren had safety in mind too though, and leaves Jak welded to the top cushion.
Wilson 8-3 Jones (0-13)
We're told that this match is chugging along at an average of 16 minutes per frame, which is some going as many thought we'd get bogged down in a lot of tactical frames. Kyren tries a cross-double early in frame 12, which misses; Jak then responds with a sensational thin cut on a red to left middle, and now he's off on a break of his own. It doesn't have much legs in it though, as he stuns into the pack of the black and sticks to it.
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'Right in the middle' - Jones knocks in his first long pot of match
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wilson 8-3 Jones
Sure enough Kyren does the necessary, and this should settle him down tonight. He lets his arm go when the frame is won; a stunning red, potted narrow down the left rail with the rest, is the pick of the shots. To huge applause he pots the yellow for the ton, and empties the table for a superb 125. That's his third century of the match, and if he can sustain his volley of heavy scoring Jak could be left with a near impossible task tomorrow.
Wilson 7-3 Jones (56-0)
In his attempt to split the pack Kyren goes through it, landing only a glancing blow, and needs a good recovery pot on a mid-ranger to bottom right to get the break back under control. The red needs all of the bottom right to go in, as does the following black; this break is a bit on edge, but he takes it to a half-century by stunning in the blue and splitting the pack perfectly. That shot should win him the frame.
Wilson 7-3 Jones (26-0)
Both Kyren and Jak miss attempts at long reds, before Kyren leans over the yellow to drain a mid-range red into the bottom left. He lands on the green, which he pots, but badly misses a mid-range red to the bottom left. 'He's missed that by a week,' says 1986 world champion Joe Johnson in co-comms. Kyren looks like he's feeling it a little, but then so might Jak be; he misses a red by a wild distance, and he's left Kyren in again. This chance looks more likely to stick, as he deftly gets on the black early in his break, and picks off the reds around it. If he can open the pack, this is a real chance.
Wilson 7-3 Jones
Jak leaves frame ball red to bottom right a bit awkward; it's a tight cut and he needs to bridge over another red, but he clips it in and lands on the pink. Another half-century is in the bank, as his total of 52 pulls back another frame. That's the first two tonight, and three in a row in the match; if he wins at least one of the next two, he'll have won this mini-session.
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The Crucible and Sheffield, the home of snooker
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wilson 7-2 Jones (0-57)
A safety exchange of the highest quality ends when Kyren cracks first, missing a thin contact safety and clipping another red over the right middle to leave an easy starter. Jak has to punish this, and sets about doing so. He's added 29 already, and with four reds in the open and dotted around the pink, he looks nailed on to bank another frame.
Wilson 7-2 Jones (0-28)
Oh, hello! Kyren breaks, and for the first time in the match Jak nails a long pot, stuffing a red right into the heart of the bottom right and pulling the white up to land on the brown. He's soon down around the black spot, picking off reds around it; he looks a different player this evening. Just as I type that, he misses a black off its spot as he tries to open the reds, and it's end of break on 28.
Wilson 7-2 Jones
A nice shot on the black, potting it and running into three above to spread them apart, takes Jak to a half-century. He looks ice cold at the table tonight, and soon pots frame ball black to ensure he'll win the first of the evening. This is exactly the start he needed, and his eventual break of 75 gets a big ovation from the Crucible audience.
Wilson 7-1 Jones (14-46)
Good stuff here from Jak, as he moves smoothly round the table, picking off balls and racking up points. There's not much to do with the cue ball here to stay in position, but he does briefly land bullet straight on the pink when he needed an angle. After potting that he snicks a red in with the rest, but is left with a tricky rest shot on the pink to follow. It's a big shot...and he's creamed it into the heart of the pocket.
Wilson 7-1 Jones (14-1)
Jsk is forced into a long bash at the only red he can see, but misses the bottom left by a big margin. Just like earlier today, he's left a chance for Kyren. It's a mid-range red and Kyren gobbles it up and lands on the black. Once again Kyren is bullish, smashing open the pack early in the break of the blue, leaving a red on long to the yellow pocket. It's straight-ish, but Kyren misses it by a long way. This is a big chance for Jak now, who drains his opening red and has a load to go at.
Here we go
Yer talker Rob Walker introduces the players to a bouncing Crucible arena. I suspect refreshments may have been taken prior to them filing in and filling their seats.
Let's get tucked in then. We'll have nine frames tonight, with a break after four.
Quick recap
This afternoon Kyren had his scoring boots on, registering breaks of 129, 52, 66, 62, 125 and 90 in winning the first seven frames. Jak nicked the last with a 65, and will be frustrated at the number of chances that he plated up with pepper and salt for Kyren. If he can cut the mistakes out, this could be a much closer session.
Expert opinon
Never mind me, take some sage advice from someone who has the game in their bloodstream. Here's Angles with his view on this match:
From here, where?
A simple equation for Jak, really; he needs to play this in mini-sessions. In the four frames before the interval, he'll be looking to win or split them; in the five after the interval, he should target coming out on top. A poor start like the one he had this afternoon could mean curtains. As for Kyren, it's equally clear what needs to be done; attack the table again, and lean on Jak until he folds.
ACT TWO: The Sunday Evening
Welcome back to our live coverage of the final of the 2024 World Snooker Championship. It was a bruising first session for Jak, who pinched the last frame of the afternoon to avoid being whitewashed. Kyren has been dominant in establishing a 7-1 lead, and if he can win tonight’s session convincingly too he will break the back of winning this final. If Jak can win it however, it’ll be a very different conversation tomorrow.
The interface of boys and baize will commence shortly.
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That's us for now
Thanks for your company this afternoon, we'll be back at 6.45pm BST for more.
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'Like party time' - Huge cheer greets Jones fluke against Wilson
Video credit: TNT Sports
Kyren Wilson dominates Jak Jones in opening session
That flew by, and Kyren has established a towering lead over Jak after that opening stanza. Breaks of 129, 52, 66, 62, 125 and 90 were the key in winning those first seven frames, overwhelming Jak and punishing his mistakes heavily. It took some moxie from Jak to stitch together 65 and take the final frame of the day, but even with that fillip he'll need to recognise that this final could be over in three sessions if he plays that badly tonight and tomorrow. While Jak hasn't found any kind of gear yet, you suspect Kyren has another to shift into as well. A lot of those frames were secured after two or three bites of the cherry, so he'll be looking to improve on things too. Intriguing stuff ahead of the resumption tonight.
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'First-class stuff' - Wilson makes second century of World Championship final
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wilson 7-1 Jones
Kyren pots one of the two remaining reds, but lands behind the other and snookered on the black. He folds it, and Jak is on the board in this final!
Wilson 7-0 Jones (10-65)
Frame ball red goes down and the Crucible let Jak know they love that, as he punches the air in acknowledgement. The break curtails on 65, and Kyren returns needing three snookers to tie.
Wilson 7-0 Jones (10-53)
A thin cut on a red to bottom right after overshooting position takes Jak to 49, and the brown thereafter brings his first half-century of this final. Given the circumstances, this has been a gutsy visit. Can he hold it down and take the frame?
Wilson 7-0 Jones (10-36)
Jak's positive mindset is still there as he goes into the bunch off the blue, and lands on a red to bottom right. He's a bit cold at the table, understandably, and some pots wriggle in while he tries to lasso perfect position with the white. Jak's break is up to 36, and there's enough in the open for him to peg a frame at this visit. With pink and black currently out of position, the white is doing some mileage to keep getting topside of the blue.
Wilson 7-0 Jones (10-1)
There have been two opening session whitewashes in finals before - Steve Davis clubbing Dennis Taylor 7-0 in the legendary 1985 final, and John Parrot wiping out Jimmy White by the same margin six years later. Can Kyren put the first 8-0 opening session wipeout on the board here? Jak misses a long red at the get go, and Kyren is immediately in with a double to left middle. It goes awry on 10 though as Kyren misses a mid-range red to bottom right; Jak is in with a red to left middle, and he has the chance to register his first meaningful visit of the day here.
Wilson 7-0 Jones
Frame ball red wobbles a touch into the bottom right, but that serves to focus Kyren's mind as he piles on even more points. In potting pink to yellow pocket he then brings out the final red, and only a missed green nixes the fun and ends his break on 90. It's seven frames in a row for Kyren, and Jak is in serious danger of being whitewashed in this session.
Wilson 6-0 Jones (60-11)
It's another half-century for Kyren in this match, as he drives the black into the bottom right. Everything is going right into the heart of the pocket here, with one satisfying thunk after another. The break goes to 60 with a blue to right middle, and the frame looks a formality now.
Wilson 6-0 Jones (31-11)
It's going for Kyren alright. He pots a red into the bottom right playing cushion first, and lands on the black. Within a few shots he wipes out Jak's tiny lead, and reaches 31 by potting the black and going into the pack in the same swoop. they've broken nicely and he's on a red to right middle; it's another frame-winning chance for the Warrior.
Wilson 6-0 Jones (0-11)
This'll help Jak's mood. Not the long red that rattles out of the jaws of the bottom left, but its subsequent journey across the rail and into the bottom right. The crowd love that one! He then goes into the pack off the black, but ends up on nish; it really isn't going for him out there. Jak's back now though as Kyren misses a slow roll at a red to green pocket and leaves it. Jak picks that off, but can't disturb the pack off the yellow; it's only 11 points from two bites.
Wilson 6-0 Jones
A red to bottom left is frame ball, and Kyren jabs it in; the black that follows puts it beyond reasonable doubt. Can he convert this into a ton? The final red is in baulk and Kyren drops in behind it off the blue, before calmly prodding it in. A yellow to right middle makes it a ton, and Kyren mops up the lot for a brilliant total dish of 125. The black is battered into the bottom left with style, gusto and deep screw on the white. Kyren's enjoying this, and so he should be; he's in total command in the final of the World Championship.
Wilson 5-0 Jones (53-4)
Two very precise shots from Kyren, in and out of baulk of the blue and then potting a red with the rest to go round the back of others and get to the blue, keep this break trucking. A later pink to bottom left rings in another half-century, and he's only a couple of reds and colours away from a sixth frame in a row.
Wilson 5-0 Jones (20-4)
An interesting choice of shot from Jak here, as he turns down a long red to play a dump shot onto the bottom cushion. Maybe he'll try to take Kyren into the trenches for a frame, just to disrupt his rhythm a little. He forces an error from Kyren, who misses a thin contact safety and gives away four, but can't then convert a mid-range red to bottom left. That missed by a country mile, and he is struggling out there right now. He then misses another red to green pocket, clipping the brown on its way, and Jak hasn't potted a ball now for 36 minutes. Kyren then gets in with a made plant to bottom left, and starts stitching together another break.
Wilson 5-0 Jones
A 62 from Kyren extends his lead, and ensures he will have some kind of lead when we resume tonight. The way this is going, it could be a very big one indeed.
Wilson 4-0 Jones (53-0)
That was a worrying shot from Jak, who is now back in his seat and mulling it over as Kyren gets to work. A black to bottom right takes this swift break to 31 and puts Kyren more than 50 ahead in the frame. The winning line is hoving into view again and there's not much for Kyren to do to vault past it.
Wilson 4-0 Jones (22-0)
We're back, and Kyren's away again. With the white wedged beneath the top cushion, he gently glides in a red long to the bottom left to hold for the black, a gorgeous shot. The black goes, followed by another superb, slow but sure red long to the yellow pocket. Kyren has played some great shots so far today. Another recovery red is needed here though as he tries to open the pack and slides off the side...and it rattles out of the jaws and leaves Jak an easy starter, or so we think. In trying to clip the red in Jak misses it by a huge distance, and the white careers into the pack. Reds have gone everywhere and Kyren returns to an easy starter and with the frame at his mercy.
Wilson 4-0 Jones
These frames aren't being won cleanly in one hit, but Kyren is dominating Jak so far and having fun out there right now. He makes 43 before missing the final black, and strolls in at the interval with a four frame advantage.
Much for Jak to think about then; we'll be back in around 15 minutes.
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Wilson opens Jones match with 129, first century in first frame of a World final since 1993
Video credit: TNT Sports
Wilson 3-0 Jones (66-7)
A red along the bottom rail and into the bottom right by Kyren puts him 59 ahead with 59 remaining. He's low on frame ball black, and can't convert it; Jak is still in this one, just, and he's on a red to bottom left. He takes it on but misses it, leaving it over the hole, and that will do us.
Wilson 3-0 Jones (51-7)
Only one player is scoring here, so only one player is winning frames. A black to bottom right brings up another half-century for Kyren, and if he can disturb a cluster of five to the right of the pink spot he'll have cleaned Jak out in this mini-session. He looks very focused here, and the winning line in the frame is in sight.
Wilson 3-0 Jones (29-7)
In his semi-final with Stuart Bingham, Jak lost the first three frames, so there'll be no panic buttons being walloped with a mallet just yet. I dare say he'll chuck the lot at winning this one though, just to make that interval brew taste a bit better. He picks up an early seven points in frame four as Kyren inadvertently sends the black into the bottom right from a safety. In the ensuing safety exchange its Jak that makes the first error, leaving Kyren a red down the right rail which is duly plugged, followed by the blue. He's on a roll again, stitching a break together, and with a good recovery red with the rest taking him to 29.
Wilson 3-0 Jones
Kyren won't mind winning this in two/three bite frames if he keeps being offered them and keeps winning them. A swift 29 from him puts another frame in the bank.
Wilson 2-0 Jones (47-14)
Oh my. Kyren, on the cusp of a half-century, misses a virtually straight red to the bottom right to bring his break clanging to a halt on 47. Can Jak respond? No. He's out of position straight away in his counter and overcuts a black to bottom right with the rest, leaving the frame on for Kyren. There are jitters on both sides here, but Kyren has markedly settled the better of the two.
Wilson 2-0 Jones (26-13)
This is a beaut from Kyren. Jak leaves him a long, bullet straight red over the bottom right. Kyren absolutely thuds it in, and screws the white back up the table for the yellow. It's a chance but it'll be hard work, with the black snarled up in reds and the pink in baulk. Kyren is making it easier though; he picks off the pink to get it rehoused on the blue spot, and slowly but surely this is becoming a frame-winning chance.
Wilson 2-0 Jones (0-13)
Kyren's long game is a bit scratchy so far, as he misses another long blam by a good way at the start of frame three. Jak responds by sweeping in a red to bottom right to hold for the pink, and he's got the first chance in this one. Early in the break he goes into the pack off the blue, which leaves only a tricky red to green pocket with the spider. Jak takes it on but it doesn't even bother the jaws, and he's extremely lucky not to leave anything.
Wilson 2-0 Jones
Jak mops up the remaining reds, and he's straight on a black to the yellow pocket to hold for the yellow. He plays it soft but it drifts off target and rattles out, leaving the frame on for what will be a very relieved Kyren. With calm precision Kyren clears the colours to move two in front.
Wilson 1-0 Jones (60-29)
Jak makes 24, but when taking one of the tougher reds along he cushion to the bottom right, he rattles it out of the jaws. It's just about on as a thin cut for Kyren, who slashes it in and fortuitously lands on the pink. He should seal the frame here, but now he's missed a pink to the left middle! Early drama but a lot of balls have gone safe, so Kyren is still the favourite to take the frame.
Wilson 1-0 Jones (52-5)
The reds are clustered awkwardly to the right of the pink, so it's hard yards to make anything substantial here. Kyren seems right on his game though, and is fair battering the white into the necessary positions to keep his break going. He gets up to 44 with the pink, and another red and black on top bring in the half-century. Here's an early swing though; Kyren takes a red to bottom right with the rest, opening other reds as he does so; the target red hits the jaws of the pocket and stays there. What a chance now for Jak to steal.
Wilson 1-0 Jones (16-5)
A safety exchange opens frame two, with Kyren giving away four when shorting a one cushion escape onto the pack. Kyren then misses a bash at a long red, leaving JAk an easy mid-range starter to bottom right. Jak glides that in but only leaves himself a tough blue to the green pocket to keep going, and he can't convert it. Kyren steps in, clips in a red to bottom left, and he's away again.
Wilson 1-0 Jones
Frame ball red takes Kyren to 68, and the black that follows ends the argument in the opener. Can we get the ton, the first in the opening frame of a final since Hendry did it versus Jimmy in 1993? Oh we can alright; Kyren brings the last red off the side rail after potting the blue, tags it in with the rest and then drops in another blue for the century. He's not done either; Kyren empties the table for an emphatic total clearance of 129. Wow! That's some start.
Wilson 0-0 Jones (56-0)
Impressive stuff so far from Kyren. Two difficult pots require the rest and the swan neck spider to negotiate them, but they are dispatched with minimal fuss and a black gives Kyren a rapid half-ton. He looks very relaxed out there, and from here looks nailed on to take the first frame.
Wilson 0-0 Jones (30-0)
Kyren gets away first, floating in a deadweight red to bottom right and he's on the black. It's a testing little cut back into bottom left but he glides that in too, and this is an immediate chance. He's in an aggressive mood, opening the pack early by stunning into them off a red to hold for the black. It's 30 and counting for him, and this frame could go very quickly given how these balls are placed.
Here we go!
Our MC, talking's Rob Walker, introduces the player. Jak steps in first to a blast of the Stereophonics, and to a thunderous ovation. Kyren follows, to much whooping and hollering also. Oh boy, the Crucible crowd are up for this, and rightly so. All the talking is done, let's get to the action. It's best of 35 for the title, eight frames of which are in the coming session. A note to for our referee Paul Collier, officiating his last ever game on tour.
Head-to-Head
Kyren leads this 4-1, with the most recent meeting seeing him hose down Jak 6-0 in the last 64 of the 2021 UK Championship. They’ve never met in anything beyond a best of 11 though, so you can probably sling the form book like a frisbee out of the nearest window.
Jak Be Nimble
The man they call the Silent Assassin fired a warning shot at the Crucible last year, when in his debut appearance he beat Ali Carter and Neil Robertson before falling in a narrow defeat to Mark Allen. Now 30, Jak spent his early career dropping off and then back on the tour, before returning for good in 2018 and steadily climbing the rankings since then. This is his first ranking event final, so he’s breaking new ground all the time; if he wins here he’ll be the fourth world champion from Wales, joining the illustrious company of Ray Reardon, Mark Williams and Terry Griffiths. Just two weeks ago he was a 150/1 outsider to win this title, and he's only the ninth player to get to the final after coming through the pre-tournament qualifiers.
Warrior Code
John Parrott, Mark Williams, Peter Ebdon, Graeme Dott, Mark Selby and Judd Trump; that’s a list of world champions that lost a world final before landing the title later in their career. Kyren was a runner-up to Ronnie O’Sullivan in that Covid-delayed summer tournament in 2020, an experience that could prove invaluable to him today. He’s been a semi-finalist twice here too, and a Masters runner-up; for the last six seasons he’s been in the top 10 in the world rankings. Kyren has been threatening something big for a while now, and this could be his time. His game and temperament look made for the long haul format and after blasting through his side of the draw he’ll start as favourite today.
The Big One
It's here, and before we go any further something needs saying: no one ever flukes a world title in snooker. It’s unlike any other competition in the calendar, a merciless examination of a players’ game in nerve-sapping, long haul contests over 17 days. You’ll have to survive the draining schedule, gut-wrenching swings in momentum and crises both internal and on table. If you’re not on your game, you’re going home. It’s that simple.
If you’re walking out at the Crucible on the Sunday prior to the May Day bank holiday, you’ve earned it. A final between Kyren Wilson and Jak Jones is one that no one would’ve predicted at the outset, but a stage that both more than deserve. Kyren has dominated all of his matches on the way here; only the great John Higgins was able to get within five frames of beating him, as the Warrior applied pedal to metal. And Jak? What a run. He followed up beating the dangerous Zhang Anda and Si Jiahui by besting two former world champions in Judd Trump and Stuart Bingham.
They’re the last two standing, and what a prize on offer. Never mind the five hundred large, however long that will keep the lights on for; this is a shot at being the champion of the world, the very best in your profession. To be at the table with Ronnie, Selby, Hendry, Williams, Reardon, two fellas named Higgins and three named Davis. Jak is having his first look at this, Kyren his second; both men know this game well and know it might not come around for them again. This is happening right here, right now, and for the winner this will last forever.
It’s taken 569 frames to get to this point and we’ve got a maximum of 35 left, in four sessions over the next two days. It doesn’t get any more important than this, so let’s get into it. Kyren versus Jak, for the biggest prize in the game.
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Saturday recap - Wilson holds off Gilbert while Jones completes Bingham win to set up surprise final
Kyren Wilson stamped his ticket to a second appearance in a World Championship final after beating David Gilbert 17-11.
Wilson and Gilbert were locked together after two sessions, but the former made his move on Friday evening to open up a four-frame advantage.
Gilbert faced a huge task on Saturday, and was unable to mount a revival as Wilson advanced to the championship match - four years on from his loss to Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2020.
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Wilson celebrates after sealing win over Gilbert in World Championship semi-final
Video credit: TNT Sports
Meanwhile, Jak Jones booked his spot in the showpiece match after getting the better of a dogged battle with Stuart Bingham.
While the clash between Wilson and David Gilbert was filled with quality, it was attritional stuff between Jones and Bingham.
Jones held a three-frame lead heading into the session, and it took them almost two and a half hours to play the opening four frames of the evening.
Referee endures epic ball replacement after Jones miss from amazing snookerReferee endures epic ball replacement after Jones miss from amazing snooker
Bingham, who led 3-0 early in the match, had chances but missed too many of them and Jones held firm late in the evening to book his place in a Crucible final with a 17-12 win.
World Snooker Championship Schedule Sunday May 5
All times GMT
13:00
- Kyren Wilson v Jak Jones
19:00
- Kyren Wilson v Jak Jones
- -
Stream top snooker action, including the World Snooker Championship, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
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