Most Recent Winners of the Snooker World Championship
On May 6th, Britain's Kyren Wilson etched his name into the
history books as the 24th Snooker World Champion as he defeated
underdog Jak Jones to secure the grandest prize in the cue-sport
world. Heading into the Crucible showpiece, much of the talk had
been about his opponent. The Welsh finalist had made headlines
the world over for his tactical approach to the game that saw
him favor disrupting his adversaries' game rather than focusing
on scoring himself.
Despite the criticism he received, Jones' approach worked wonders. The 44th seed knocked off Chinese duo Zhang Anda and Si Jiahui, before beating number three seed and tournament favorite Judd Trump in the quarterfinals. He then beat Stuart Bingham in the semis to punch his ticket to the final, but unfortunately for him, he came up against a resolute Kyren Wilson who was unwilling to be flustered despite his opponent's approach.
At the last-32 stage, online sports betting at Bovada odds made the eventual champion the +1200 fifth favorite for the crown, while Jones was a much longer +6600. But it was a determined Wilson who gained redemption for his lopsided defeat to Ronnie O'Sullivan four years prior, holding his nerve to claim a nervy 18 frames to 14 victory in one of the most compelling World Championship finals in recent memory.
Now, he will forever be remembered as a world champion. But who does he join in the history books? Here are the most recent winners of the tournament, and the closest they have come to glory in the years since.
2023 - Luca Brecel
However, last year, Luca Brecel bucked that trend when he walked out of Sheffield with the title. His aggressive playing style and impeccable cue control dazzled the audience and were too much to handle for some of the planet's finest names. He defeated two of the most successful players of all time in the latter stages, beating Mark Williams in the last-16 and the aforementioned O'Sullivan to secure his spot in the final four.
There, he wiped out a nne frame lead to defeat Chinese qualifier Si Jiahui in perhaps the greatest comeback of all time,, before finally beating Mark Selby in the finale. Unfortunately for him however, his defense of the crown didn't go as he was expecting, and the Crucible Curse - a jinx in which no first-time champion has successfully defended the title at the Crucibal Theater - reared its head once more. He was eliminated in the first round by 2019 semifinalist David Gilbert despite leading by nine frames to six at one point.
2022 & 2020 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
The Rocket" further cemented his legacy two years later as he would dominate once again. With his rapid-fire playing style on display for all to see, he managed to defeat Judd Trump in a bad-tempered affair, ultimately triumphing 18-13. At the end of the eighth frame he claimed that the match referee was "looking for trouble" following a decision to issue O'Sullivan a formal warning, but the eventual winner didn't let that distract him as he became the oldest champion in the history of the tournament at the ripe old age of 46.
2021 - Mark Selby
His most recent triumph came in 2021 when he headed to Sheffield as the fourth seed. He was in blistering form throughout the knockout stages, dropping just 11 frames in three matches en route to the semifinals. In the final four, Stuart Bingham gave Selby all he could handle, but it was the Leicester-born star who eventually triumphed. He then managed to defeat 2005 champion Shaun Murphy in a nail-biter, eventually winning 18-15.
Despite the criticism he received, Jones' approach worked wonders. The 44th seed knocked off Chinese duo Zhang Anda and Si Jiahui, before beating number three seed and tournament favorite Judd Trump in the quarterfinals. He then beat Stuart Bingham in the semis to punch his ticket to the final, but unfortunately for him, he came up against a resolute Kyren Wilson who was unwilling to be flustered despite his opponent's approach.
At the last-32 stage, online sports betting at Bovada odds made the eventual champion the +1200 fifth favorite for the crown, while Jones was a much longer +6600. But it was a determined Wilson who gained redemption for his lopsided defeat to Ronnie O'Sullivan four years prior, holding his nerve to claim a nervy 18 frames to 14 victory in one of the most compelling World Championship finals in recent memory.
Now, he will forever be remembered as a world champion. But who does he join in the history books? Here are the most recent winners of the tournament, and the closest they have come to glory in the years since.
2023 - Luca Brecel
However, last year, Luca Brecel bucked that trend when he walked out of Sheffield with the title. His aggressive playing style and impeccable cue control dazzled the audience and were too much to handle for some of the planet's finest names. He defeated two of the most successful players of all time in the latter stages, beating Mark Williams in the last-16 and the aforementioned O'Sullivan to secure his spot in the final four.
There, he wiped out a nne frame lead to defeat Chinese qualifier Si Jiahui in perhaps the greatest comeback of all time,, before finally beating Mark Selby in the finale. Unfortunately for him however, his defense of the crown didn't go as he was expecting, and the Crucible Curse - a jinx in which no first-time champion has successfully defended the title at the Crucibal Theater - reared its head once more. He was eliminated in the first round by 2019 semifinalist David Gilbert despite leading by nine frames to six at one point.
2022 & 2020 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
The Rocket" further cemented his legacy two years later as he would dominate once again. With his rapid-fire playing style on display for all to see, he managed to defeat Judd Trump in a bad-tempered affair, ultimately triumphing 18-13. At the end of the eighth frame he claimed that the match referee was "looking for trouble" following a decision to issue O'Sullivan a formal warning, but the eventual winner didn't let that distract him as he became the oldest champion in the history of the tournament at the ripe old age of 46.
2021 - Mark Selby
His most recent triumph came in 2021 when he headed to Sheffield as the fourth seed. He was in blistering form throughout the knockout stages, dropping just 11 frames in three matches en route to the semifinals. In the final four, Stuart Bingham gave Selby all he could handle, but it was the Leicester-born star who eventually triumphed. He then managed to defeat 2005 champion Shaun Murphy in a nail-biter, eventually winning 18-15.
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