KYREN WILSON has vowed to break the infamous Crucible curse that nobody has managed to before.
The world No2 is aiming to become the first player to retain his world crown title after claiming it for the first time.
Kyren Wilson has vowed to break the infamous Crucible curse that nobody has managed to before
Lifting the World Championship trophy again in May remains one of the targets for Wilson, for it would mean the breaking of the 60-year-long Crucible voodoo.
The 33-year-old said: “Nobody has won it for the first time and defended their title. So, that’s definitely right up there with something I would like to try to achieve.
“I’d love to reach world No 1, too. I was one game away at the Saudi Arabia Masters from reaching it. I was this close, but, I’m sure it will come.
“Hong Kong is one of my favourite places since I was there the first time when I was 18. I would definitely love to try to win there.
“I did a little two-week tour around Asia and my final trip was in Hong Kong; I really struggled to eat some of the food, going around some places in China.
“When I got to Hong Kong, I just fell in love – I ate everything, and I had about four days there and that was my favourite part about the whole two weeks. When I came home, I really wanted to go back. So, I’m very happy now there’s a tournament out there.”
“My boys are so young now – Bailey’s seven and Finley’s nine – and they don’t understand sometimes why their dad isn’t around so much
“So, if I can win titles and bring home the trophy, it makes it very special for them.
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“I want to keep doing that; the winning feeling is a feeling like no other, the elation of lifting that trophy at the end of the tournament, I crave that feeling.
“Taking a trophy home to my children makes me want to work and practise harder.”
The Englishman landed the sport’s most prestigious prize for the first time in his career, beating Jak Jones 6-5 in the final in May last year.
Since the World Snooker Championship switched to the Sheffield venue in 1977, no first-time winner has retained the title, with John Pulman the last player to pull off that feat in 1964.
Wilson appeared determined not to go down as a ‘one hit wonder’, beating both Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump on his way to winning the Xi’an Grand Prix in August.
He also won the Northern Ireland Open in October and is eyeing more silverware for when the Masters start on January 12.
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
1969 – John Spencer
1970 – Ray Reardon
1971 – John Spencer
1972 – Alex Higgins
1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
1977 – John Spencer (2)
1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
1979 – Terry Griffiths
1980 – Cliff Thorburn
1981 – Steve Davis
1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
1983 – Steve Davis (2)
1984 – Steve Davis (3)
1985 – Dennis Taylor
1986 – Joe Johnson
1987 – Steve Davis (4)
1988 – Steve Davis (5)
1989 – Steve Davis (6)
1990 – Stephen Hendry
1991 – John Parrott
1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 – Ken Doherty
1998 – John Higgins
1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 – Mark Williams
2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
2002 – Peter Ebdon
2003 – Mark Williams (2)
2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
2005 – Shaun Murphy
2006 – Graeme Dott
2007 – John Higgins (2)
2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
2009 – John Higgins (3)
2010 – Neil Robertson
2011 – John Higgins (4)
2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
2014 – Mark Selby
2015 – Stuart Bingham
2016 – Mark Selby (2)
2017 – Mark Selby (3)
2018 – Mark Williams (3)
2019 – Judd Trump
2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
2021 – Mark Selby (4)
2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
2023 – Luca Brecel
2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
2 – Alex Higgins