Kyren Wilson was on holiday during last year’s Sportsbet.io Tour Championship as he failed to even qualify for the event – this time he goes to Manchester as arguably the best player in the world on current form.
Last Sunday, Wilson beat Judd Trump 10-9 in an epic final at the Sportsbet.io Players Championship in Telford to win his fourth title of the season. While Trump still has a vast lead at the top of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings, Wilson has now beaten him in all three finals they have contested this season and seems to have the edge in their rivalry.
The Sportsbet.io Tour Championship has an elite field of the best 12 players in the world this season. Last year it was staged at the superb Manchester Central venue for the first time, and it now returns from March 31st to April 6th. Tickets are still available from just £25 – for details click here.
“Last year I didn’t qualify so I went on holiday because I just wanted to get away from snooker,” Wilson recalls. “In the end that worked out well because I was fresh going into the World Championship and ended up with the trophy.
“But I can’t wait to play in Manchester this time because I have heard it’s a fantastic venue and I feel the big events should be in major cities. Hopefully it will be even bigger and better this time. I love playing in these ITV-televised events because it’s only the best players of the season.
“I’m full of confidence, going there having won a big title last Sunday. The fact that the matches are best of 19 frames from the start gives it extra prestige. I have played a lot of matches of that length this season having been in five finals so I’ll be very sharp heading to the Crucible.
"Judd is world number one for a reason and I've got a long way to go to catch up with how many tournaments he has won. He's a great competitor and that's what spurs me on to keep performing at the highest level. It's a really healthy rivalry for snooker."
The tournament gets underway on Monday with Shaun Murphy facing Barry Hawkins in the first session. Wilson, Trump, Neil Robertson and John Higgins are the top four seeds and they enter the fray on Wednesday and Thursday.
Four-time World Champion Higgins added: “I was only in Manchester for one day last year then I lost to Mark Allen, but it was a brilliant venue. I love the city and the buzz around it. It’s a tough tournament to get into as it’s only the top 12, so I'm delighted to be in it and hopefully I can stay longer this time.”
There’s a free FanZone at the venue which is open to fans of all ages, even without tickets – for details click here.
