World champion Kyren Wilson believes his journey to the top has been like a Rocky Balboa film. And now he has realised his boyhood dream, the newest King of the Crucible is hungry to build a long-lasting legacy in the sport.
The Warrior, 32, clinched his maiden world crown with a fine 18-14 victory over surprise package Jak Jones on Monday night. All of his family’s sacrifices paid off as he lifted the treasured trophy aloft with tears in his eyes.
His parents bought a derelict house, which had not been lived in for 40 years, because it had the potential to build a snooker room in. And they had to remortgage multiple times to fund Wilson’s development in the early days.
Now the sky is the limit for the world No.3, who is eying up multiple world titles and reaching the rankings summit. “It’s like a Rocky Balboa story,” admitted Wilson, who came close to walking away from the sport in 2013.
“I’ve had to dig in and go back to the grotty gym and find myself again. I remember two years I couldn’t get through Q School. Sophie [wife] looked at me and said ‘If you don’t do it this year we’ll have to look at alternatives’. You have to live.
“The setbacks have made me stronger. I said a while ago that I’d be disappointed if I only landed one. I believe I can become a multiple world champion. This first one must be the hardest one to win, surely! I hope it’s the hardest to get off your back. Now I’ve done that no-one can take that away from me.
“I can build a legacy in this sport and that’s something I would like to have a good crack at now I’ve got this one out of the way. You sort of hunt for your first Triple Crown event and there’s no better Triple Crown event to land as your first one than the World Championship.”
Wilson has time on his side to rack up the game’s grandest gongs. Rivals Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark Williams are all nearing 50 whilst Mark Selby, Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy are in their early 40s. Judd Trump (34) and Mark Allen (38) look set to be his biggest challengers.
“I’ll relish every single opportunity of being world champion,” beamed Wilson after his maiden major title. “Being world number one is something that’s high on the agenda. It’s something I want to tick off the list. If you can be remembered as a world champion and world number one, you’ve conquered it for me.”
After fuelling his title tilt with salmon and deep sleep, with the help of a hypnotherapist, Wilson partied into the early hours — until an impromptu fire alarm drew proceedings to a premature 5am close.
Arm in arm with brother Taylor, his manager who has been by his side on the tour for many years, renditions of “We are the Champions” rang out at the annual Champion’s Reception.
And after putting in blood, sweat and tears from the age of six to scale the Crucible mountain, Wilson tightly gripped the iconic trophy for most of the night
“Sophie knows her place,” added Wilson. “There’s only one lady that’s coming to bed with me and that’s the silver lady on top of the trophy!”
