Kyren Wilson, who was disappointed not to make it into the World Grand Prix last month, believes he has a ‘huge part’ to play among the heavyweights in snooker.In Wilson’s absence, Ronnie O’Sullivan prevailed in the tournament by playing a series of elite opponents.
Wilson’s best two results of the season have been making it to the quarterfinals of the European Masters and the semifinals of the German Masters. His poor tournament performance has kept him out of the running for the World Grand Prix.
Thus, the 32-year-old stood by as O’Sullivan defeated Junxu Pang, Yuelong Zhou, Gary Wilson, and Ding Junhui before defeating Judd Trump 10-7 in the championship match.
Wilson said, “It was hard sat at home watching the lads in the Grand Prix,” in a Metro interview. “It simply isn’t appropriate for me to miss such an occasion. It made me feel a little more enraged because I expect to participate in an event like that every year.”
The former world No. 4 is determined to put together a run of victories and has warned O’Sullivan and the other current big names in snooker that he won’t be happy to watch them continue to rule the sport for years to come.
“I’ve been working hard, stopped tinkering around with my game and gone back to what I know and what’s given me results in the past,” Wilson stated.
“I have excellent form. I would like to attend all major events. Regarding the current generation of snooker players, I believe I have a significant role to play.”
After taking home the UK Championship early in December, O’Sullivan has been playing at a really high level. After that, the Rocket defeated fierce competitor Ali Carter in the Masters final, and then he easily won the World Grand Prix, adding additional cash to his bank account.
The 48-year-old is now intent on competing in the World Snooker Championship in April.
Making history with his eighth UK Championship, Ronnie O’Sullivan
“I’d like to find some consistency between now and [the world championship] and then go to Sheffield and try to enjoy it,” he stated. “For once, it would be good to enjoy it.
“Aging isn’t really a concern for me. I believe my background is benefiting me. I’ve been playing for a while, I’ve gained a lot of experience, I’ve won a lot of tournaments, I’ve studied the game extensively, and I think I’m a better all-around player than I’ve ever been.”
