KYREN WILSON has promised there will be no more dad dancing on the Road to the Crucible.
The reigning world snooker champion boogied into the Telford International Centre on Friday night ahead of a 6-5 semi-final win over Neil Robertson at the Players Championship.
ITV SnookerKyren Wilson showed off his dance moves before his Players Championship semi-final win over Neil Robertson[/caption]
ITV SnookerThe 33-year-old tried out something different during his walkout[/caption]
It was a moment of levity for the crowd, who were then treated to a classic – Wilson trailed 4-1 but then responded with breaks of 116, 57, 89 and a match-winning 134.
Yet Wilson has assured SunSport there will be NO repeat of his dance moves in Sunday’s final and over the next six weeks – as he aims to break the Crucible Curse.
Wilson, a father of two, said: “I was trying to have a bit of fun, it’s a Friday night, people pay good money to come and watch us play.
“I want people to tune in and laugh and smile at my expense. I don’t mind making a fool of myself every now and again.
“In today’s world, social media is such a massive platform and that’s a viral dance. Some snooker players could do that more, help to get a younger generation watching on TV.
“I know for a fact there are people who are not necessarily snooker fans but who tuned in to watch that.
“It was inspired by a viral moment by American rapper Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl. My brother and I decided I should do it.
“Friends and family had also egged me on to it as my walk-on. But I am quite capable of switching off from funny mode to serious mode.
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
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“I won’t do it for the final, absolutely not. I like dancing in nightclubs but just won’t do it for the final.”
And although he knows that fans at home will have loved his moves, he’s well aware that former rival and friend Stephen Hendry would have been a little less impressed.
Asked what Hendry would have thought of the dancing on ITV, Wilson replied: “Oh he would have slaughtered me. Slaughtered me.”
Wilson, who is chasing a £150,000 jackpot on Sunday night, has won the past four ranking finals he has contested – and that includes his maiden world title success last May.
Though he did lose in the finale of the Masters – an invitational – to Shaun Murphy at Ally Pally in January.
If he gets the better of Judd Trump or John Higgins over the best of 19 frames in two sessions, he will draw level with cult cueist Jimmy White on 10 ranking titles.
The Warrior, 33, said: “I have goals I want to tick off in my career.
“And one of them is to get to 10 ranking titles. I want to go further than that. I won’t be happy unless I achieve a minimum of 20.
“To draw alongside a legend like Jimmy White would be amazing.”
PAWIlson reckons Stephen Hendry would have been less than impressed with his dancing[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
