Kyren Wilson set early retirement after World Snooker Championship win.
Despite having won his first world title less than a week ago, Kyren Wilson is already making plans for his post-snooker future. To win the greatest award in sports, the 32-year-old had to battle his way past Welsh qualifier Jak Jones in the championship match last weekend.
In terms of snooker players, Wilson is still relatively young; players like Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Williams, and John Higgins are getting close to reaching their fifties. He has stated that he intends to retire when he reaches his mid-40s, therefore he does not intend to stay in the sport for very long.
“I don’t think I’ll be like some of the other guys, to tell you the truth, if I’m being totally honest,” Wilson said to The Metro. “My spouse and children have had to make numerous sacrifices, and I have witnessed individuals accumulating wealth in anticipation of their retirement and want to sail off into the sunset on numerous occasions during my life.
“Unfortunately, they are unable to enjoy it because they become unwell or because something goes wrong. That’s not who I want to be. I’ve always believed that looking up to 45 is a nice age. Let’s wait. Although it’s a long way off, maybe by then I’ll have accomplished enough to be able to look back and declare that the history I’ve created is worthy of me.”
Wilson continued, saying that after trying his hand at commentary, he might look to transition into punditry when the time comes to hang up his cue.
“Commentating on John Higgins’ game against Jamie Jones, I’ve seen it all from a new perspective,” he commented. As a player, you walk out there and feel like everyone is watching you. There’s a lot of pressure, and sometimes it feels so bad. It feels really good sometimes.
“However, observing it through the communications box makes you wonder, what’s the main problem? It’s not as intimidating as you may expect. Working with some of the legends is fantastic, and I really appreciate it.”
For the time being, though, those ambitions will be shelved as Wilson is driven to win additional championships following his 12th consecutive Crucible victory.
After defeating Jones in the final last weekend, he remarked, “I said a while ago that I’d be disappointed if I only landed one.” “I think I’m capable of winning numerous world championships. Without a doubt, the first one must be the most difficult to win. I’m hoping that will be the most difficult to get off your back. Nobody can take that away from me now that I’ve done it.
“Now that this one is over, I would like to give building a legacy in this sport a serious go. You kind of look for your first Triple Crown event, and the World Championship is the best Triple Crown event to land as your first one.”