Jack Jones was up all night preparing for the World Snooker Championship final, so it’s understandable why he had a nightmare start to the match.
He caused a series of surprises in the qualifiers, defeating Anda Zhang, Shi Jiahui, Judd Trump and Stuart Bingham at the Crucible to reach the final.
Kyren Wilson was there waiting for him, and the Warriors got off to a dream start against an inferior opponent, taking a 7-0 lead.
After the first session, the rest of the match was fairly even, with Wilson ultimately winning 18-14 after Jones fought back with great spirit.
Wilson’s semi-final victory over Dave Gilbert concluded in the Saturday afternoon session, allowing him to go to bed early that night.
In contrast, Jones’ victory over Bingham ended in the evening, resulting in a late night and sleepless day after finishing his media duties.
“I don’t want to make excuses because we would have lost anyway. Kailen played very well, especially in the first session,” Jones said.
“It’s quite difficult to advance from the semi-finals…I didn’t get back to the hotel until 1am and you can’t go to bed right away after such an important semi-final match.
“I didn’t sleep at all that night. So when I came to the first session, I didn’t even feel like I was playing in the semi-finals, I just felt flat.
“I didn’t sleep. I just stayed awake. I never drink Red Bull, so I tried to use it to get through, but it didn’t work.
‘That’s what it is. Kairen probably would have defeated me anyway. Anyway in the first session he played very well. ”
Wilson had a similar experience in the 2020 final against Ronnie O’Sullivan and knew Jones wasn’t at his best once the match started. His plan to take advantage of the situation was completely successful.
“When I played Ronnie, I knew how tired I was,” Wilson said. “In the first session I was completely exhausted and I had a hunch that Jack would feel the same way.
“I got a good look at him just before the final started and thought it was time. I felt great, had a great night’s sleep and was well rested. I knew I had to kick on in the first session. However, I managed to do it.”
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