Kyren Wilson hopes he can rediscover his best form after receiving positive news about the health of his wife, who has been suffering from illness and underwent surgery in recent months.
Kyren Wilson says he believes positive news regarding the health of his wife Sophie can help him recapture his best form as he prepares to defend his Northern Ireland Open title in Belfast next week.
The world number two's wife has been battling a health issue in recent months and had surgery as a result of the illness.
Test results received this week have put the family "on a brighter path now", according to the 2024 world champion, who has two young sons.
"We're about seven weeks in, my wife has had some surgery recently and we've been waiting on some results which thankfully have come back all good this week," said Wilson.
"It's been quite tough to be honest, there's been a lot of strain on the family.
"My wife has had a tough time of it but we've had some fantastic news which is certainly going to free up the mind for not just me, but all of us."
After winning the World Championship for the first time in May 2024, the 33-year-old won four ranking titles in the 2024-25 season to take his career tally to 10.
He won the Xi'an Grand Prix, NI Open, German Masters and Players Championship and also reached the final of The Masters and the semi-final stage of the UK Championship, before suffering a disappointing first-round exit as he defended his world crown at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
Wilson started this season promisingly by winning the Shanghai Masters in August but has since suffered a downturn in form during the period of his wife's illness.
He reached the quarter-finals of the Saudi Arabia Masters but lost in the first round of the Wuhan Open, English Open and British Open, then was whitewashed 5-0 by Shaun Murphy in the last eight of the Xi'an Grand Prix without potting a ball.
"It's going to make travelling and playing snooker a lot easier again," said Wilson of his wife's encouraging health news.
"I've tried my best. I've kept going to tournaments when I would probably have been warranted to stay at home.
"But that's the ambassador I want to be for the sport and that's how much I want to succeed and do well in the sport, to make those sacrifices."
'Travelling the hardest part'
The NI Open is sandwiched between the Xi'an Grand Prix and another tournament in China, the International Championship, and the Kettering player says he finds the travelling and time spent away from family difficult.
"From a personal point of view for someone trying to bring up a young family it's very difficult. It's something I've struggled with mentally and emotionally for some time now.
"But in the end, the overwhelming desire to want to be a champion, wanting to win and climb the rankings, always takes over for me. I want to be as successful as possible.
"The travelling part is the hardest part but once we're there and once we're at the venues in different countries and cities and you see all the fans, it kind of gets rid of all of that. But it does take it out of you."
This week, Mark Williams became the oldest player ever to win a ranking event, aged 50 years and 206 days, and Wilson believes the continued success of the Welshman, as well as other long-established champions such as Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins, Neil Robertson and Mark Selby remains good for the game.
"I think it's fantastic. It certainly gives the rest of us hope that we can play for potentially as long as you want to keep going for.
"You can take inspiration from the likes of Mark, who is still winning tournaments and still very competitive.
"I think Mark is a different animal to a lot of players with that relaxed type of attitude but when you get him on the table he's kind of so crafty, so streetwise. He's almost like a warrior on the table.
"So no surprise from me that he's gone on to win again. I think after all those years of experience, he's always going to be a handful for anyone and I take my hat off to him."
Category: General Sports
