The 'world beater' tipped to dethrone Judd Trump at Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters
The world number two was excellent in Shanghai, beating Si Jiahui, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Zhao Xintong and then Ali Carter in the final.
The Warrior brushed off the disappointment of losing in the first round at the Crucible in April, which ended his world title defence on the opening day in Sheffield.
Clearly that one loss to Lei Peifan has not diminished his confidence and former world champion Ken Doherty rates him as highly as any player right now.
'He's a world beater,' Doherty told Metro of Wilson. 'He's got a lot of consistency in his all round game.
'His scoring power now is probably at the best it has ever been, which he's really improved on and that has made a big difference.
'He's always been a good long potter, he's got great bottle, great temperament. But his scoring power, he's competing with the likes of Trump and Ronnie and Higgins and all the top break-builders. So that makes him a very, very tough player to play.'
Current world number 113 and both a pundit and commentator, Steven Hallworth, sees no reason that Wilson cannot follow up his brilliant Shanghai win by landing the £500,000 top prize in Jeddah on Saturday.
'In terms of how he played, I was so impressed with Kyren,' Hallworth said on WST's Snooker Club podcast. 'His whole outlook on the game, how positive he was staying, his tempo around the table and he was super aggressive when he was in.
'It was a real statement, for me. Obviously Judd Trump is still number one, but he had to come through against Ronnie O'Sullivan and the world champion Zhao Xintong and I think he did that really nicely.
'He's laid down a marker, he's not world number one but for me he probably is the best player in the world right now.
'Saudi's going to be interesting, there's a lot of big hitters heading out there and it's going to be really interesting to see how that one unfolds.
'I think Kyren's going to be the man to beat off the back of Shanghai, full of confidence, starting his season with a big win. I think Kyren's going to be the one to beat.'
The top 16 in the world join the fray in Jeddah on Tuesday, with Wilson yet to learn his opponent in the tiered draw format.
The 2024 world champ will face one of Iulian Boiko, Jackson Page, Louis Heathcote or the man who downed him at the Crucible this year, Lei Peifan.
Having won the first edition of the tournament last year, Trump is looking to continue an unbeaten record in the event when he joins the action on Tuesday.
The world number one was beaten in the Shanghai quarter-finals by Mark Selby and hopes to bounce back by defending his title in Jeddah and landing the £500,000 again.
Trump will begin his campaign against Noppon Saengkham, Gong Chenzhi, Matt Selt or Oliver Lines.
MORE: Joe O'Connor makes silverware prediction after best ever start to season
MORE: Zak Surety still battling imposter syndrome despite dramatic career turnaround
MORE: Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters 2025 draw, schedule, TV channel, prize money and odds
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Metro
9 hours ago
- Metro
Conjuror O'Sullivan remains snooker's unmissable showman whether winning or not
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A brief cameo at the Shanghai Masters earlier this summer suggested he was getting somewhere, without fully blasting back towards his best. This week the Rocket landed at one of his new favourites places, Saudi Arabia, and he brought his most spectacular stuff with him. Even when O'Sullivan was winning events regularly a couple of seasons ago, performances were often efficient rather than effervescent. It looked like that might be the case again in Jeddah in early wins over Joe O'Connor and Chang Bingyu, but the dramatic 6-5 quarter-final victory over world number two Kyren Wilson gave the Rocket the confidence to unpack his bag of tricks and put on a show. What followed was as good a performance as you will see on a snooker table in his semi-final with Chris Wakelin. A 147 was his very first contribution to the match, followed by a 142. Wakelin, to his immense credit, kept his head from spinning to fight back to 3-3, but then came the second fireworks display. Another 147 was magicked up in the seventh frame, a 67 followed and the final party piece was a 134 to wrap up the match 6-3. It was absurd snooker. It is the likes you hear of in tales from practice rooms but not the kind you see in ranking event semi-finals with £100,000 the difference between winning and losing. In making the first 147, the 16th of his career, O'Sullivan became the oldest player to knock in a maximum at 49 years old. He broke his own record by a couple of hours later in the evening with his 17th. Not even O'Sullivan could replicate that wizardry in the final, but he could again put on a memorable show in a different way. Neil Robertson finished the first session of the showpiece 6-2 ahead and then won the first frame of the evening. This was not in the script for the Rocket's global fan club. But in front or behind, a burst of brilliance is always within reach. Breaks of 139, 97, 89, 57 and 80 in consecutive frames and the score was 7-7 in no time at all, the Aussie barely believing what was happening. 'I've never experienced anything like that before in my life,' Robertson said of Ronnie's rearguard romp. The Thunder from Down Under is not one to wilt either and it was he who eventually got over the line in a deciding frame, a 10-9 winner. Winning or losing at this stage of the Rocket's career, what difference does it make, really? Long cemented as the sport's GOAT and most successful player, would another trinket from Saudi add to his legacy? No. An eighth World Championship title would, such is the cachet of the Crucible crown, but really any other title is just another bauble on the world's best-decorated Christmas tree. One more sausage on the planet's biggest mixed grill. What feels more important now is that O'Sullivan is still absolutely must-see TV, the hottest ticket in town. Certainly of the relatively small town of snooker, but even of the vast metropolis of British sport. Liverpool opened the Premier League season in a thrilling win over Bournemouth at the same time O'Sullivan played Wakelin on Friday night and social media felt as rocked by the Rocket as it was by the Reds. You cannot turn off even during his relatively lean spells because there remains unmatchable magnificence ready to come out at any stage. Others have magic in their cues. Judd Trump and Zhao can conjure up dazzling spells, but no one can bewitch like the Essex Exocet, even as the sorcerer approaches his 50th birthday. More Trending This is not a veteran grimly hanging on, trying to replicate his glory days. We are still lounging in the sunshine of his glory days. 'I've never played that well in a match before,' O'Sullivan said of his semi-final masterclass. If that's what he can do four months shy of 50, after already compiling the greatest CV in snooker, then the Ronnie O'Sullivan show looks set to enchant and delight fans for many years to come. Others will win more tournaments, but snooker's shining light is not ready to pass his torch yet. MORE: Why Neil Robertson conquering Ronnie O'Sullivan in Saudi Arabia is his 'best win' MORE: Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters 2025 results, schedule, TV channel and prize money MORE: Ronnie O'Sullivan heaps praise on rival: 'Like playing Hendry in his prime'
The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
Neil Robertson reveals £500k Saudi Snooker Masters win almost derailed by taxi taking him to the wrong place
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Metro
18 hours ago
- Metro
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Back among the very elite of the game, questions will again be asked of Robertson's Crucible credentials as he has not been to the World Championship final since he won the title in 2010. The Saudi Arabia Masters was Robertson's 26th ranking title so his relatively poor record in Sheffield is confusing and he admits doubts had crept in over whether he could overcome it. 'I'm not obsessed about winning another world title as probably I have been the last six or seven years but this was the type of win that tells me within myself I can definitely do it,' he said. 'There has been sort of some doubts. 'But to beat the players that I have this week, to beat Ronnie in a final when he comes back at you like that. I've never experienced anything like that before in my life.' The brilliant final was played between two players who have the utmost respect for each other and while O'Sullivan was obviously disappointed to lose, he does wish Robertson every success. 'He calls me pretty frequently,' Robertson said of the Rocket. 'He wants to see me win more world titles and more tournaments, he really wants to see me do well. To have that kind of relationship with him is incredibly special. 'He's one of the inspirations for me. Growing up as a kid there's no way I would have thought as a 14 or 15 year old that I'll be competing against Ronnie in major finals or I'll be where I am today 30 years later. More Trending 'It's got to go down as one of the greatest finals of all time. To be a part of that and to be on the right side of it as well. 'I also believe if he's playing anyone else in the world then he probably wins today. I think from 7-2 to 7-7. I'm not too sure…maybe Judd [Trump] or Kyren [Wilson] could possibly withstand that 'To be able to withstand the pressure and to be the first person who stood up to him this week when he's come back like an absolute freight train, that's more pleasing than if I went on to win the match 10-4 or 10-5. To win it in this this way from 9-8 down and the two breaks I made the last two frames, just amazing.' MORE: Ronnie O'Sullivan makes historic two 147s in stunning Saudi Arabia Masters semi MORE: Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters 2025 results, schedule, TV channel and prize money MORE: How Chang Bingyu has exploded back from match-fixing ban to become snooker force
