There is more than just a place in the second round of the World Championship at stake for Kyren Wilson when he takes on Dominic Dale tomorrow. Wilson, 32, will also be out to put what has essentially been a year from hell behind him with personal issues undoubtedly hindering his form at the snooker table.
The man aptly dubbed ‘the Warrior’ has needed all the qualities associated with his nickname in abundance in the past 12 months. His son Bailey fell seriously ill last year and wife Sophie suffered a strike, while also having her driving licence revoked due to her epilepsy.
And Wilson has subsequently endured a barren season, failing to land a tournament trophy or even reach a final. Few have been talking about the world No.12 as a serious contender at The Crucible this year, despite his previous pedigree in the tournament having reached the final in 2020 before losing out to Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Wilson’s practice time has also been hampered, having to shoulder the burden of taking Bailey to hospital appointments after he suffered a broken nose in school. And in an interview with SportsBoom.com, he was candid about the effect his personal life has had on his game, saying: “If you’re not happy in your mind because of what’s happening with your family it can impact your results.”
The five-time ranking event winner also said his family had been supportive of his desire to regain his best form, but he also acknowledged that professional snooker had not been his main priority in recent times. “My wife and my mum and dad are so understanding and give me free reign to be the best snooker player that I can be,” he added.
“But sometimes that does have to take a back seat, especially when health is concerned. It’s played a big part this year. I’m not normally one to try and talk about it and use it as an excuse almost. But, to be honest, my wife encouraged me to do it.
“Sometimes I feel you get unnecessarily bad press because of your results, but people don’t know what’s going on off the table. It’s refreshing to get it out there sometimes and snooker’s one big community, so you get a lot of support. You do need to be quite selfish in this sport, it’s quite soulless. You’re on your own a lot of the time and have your own demons.”
Wilson’s first round clash will be the source of intrigue for snooker fans, with Welshman Dale, 52, the oldest player to qualify for the tournament since Steve Davis in 2010. And despite his troublesome year, Wilson is confident of overcoming Dale and embarking on a good run in Sheffield.
“I’m really optimistic,” said Wilson. “It’s been a bit of a strange year in terms of results, but I know my game’s there. It’s been there all season. My scoring ability has shown that, I’m second on the century list for the season. I think the main attribute in the modern era is your scoring. If you’re scoring you can beat anyone.”
