Jak Jones springs yet another surprise to reach World Snooker Championship final
05/04/2024 04:42 PM
Jak Jones is into the World Snooker Championship final after a shock 17-12 win over Stuart Bingham at the Crucible.
The qualifier continues his incredible run in Sheffield, which has seen him down Zhang Anda, Si Jiahui, Judd Trump and now the 2015 world champion.
Waiting for him in the final is Kyren Wilson after the Warrior beat Dave Gilbert 17-11 earlier on Saturday.
Of the Welshman’s performance, Stephen Hendry told the BBC: ‘Very, very impressive. He does nothing unbelievably well, but everything well. He’s been so effective the whole championship. Very impressive.’
Jones added: ‘When I think of watching the World final every year, thinking it’s a dream and what an unbelievable occasion it is it doesn’t feel real that I’m in that World final. I couldn’t be any happier.
‘I don’t think I am playing well, I’m just winning. I’m not doing anything exceptional, I don’t think. I’m not scoring heavy, I’m not doing anything special.’
Jones had actually looked rattled for the first time in the tournament at the opening of the semi-final as Bingham strolled into a 3-0 lead and the underdog appeared nervous.
‘I was gone, my hands were soaking wet,’ he said. ‘I didn’t feel nervous coming out here really, but I started missing a few and it gets a bit embarrassing. I made that really good clearance [in the fourth frame] and it settled me down.’
The first session ended 4-4, then Bingham took the next two frames with breaks of 79 and 107, but Jones would not be pushed aside, winning the next three.
Jones won the 18th frame to fo 9-9 and then took that run to five on the spin to open up an impressive lead, before Bingham won the last of the third session with a 104.
Returning for the final session, the Welshman was 13-10 ahead and despite losing the first, remained in control, with half-centuries in three of the remaining four frames he won.
MORE : Dave Gilbert on ‘bonkers’ Crucible after Kyren Wilson semi-final defeat
MORE : Ronnie O’Sullivan on what Kyren Wilson is doing better than anybody at the Crucible
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