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Jack Jones missed a golden opportunity to put pressure on opponent Kyren Wilson as his unlikely Crucible comeback failed to materialize at the end of the first day of the World Snooker Championship final.
Jones erased an early 7-1 deficit, but lost on a dramatic black-ball climax in the final frame of the day, letting No. 12 seed Wilson off the hook and taking an 11-6 lead into Monday’s final session. I came.
Reflecting on the missed chance to move within three frames of his opponent, a visibly deflated Jones told the BBC: I was completely exhausted and I think I could have done better if I had gotten a good night’s sleep last night. ”
Jones got off to a nightmare start and had to wait until the last frame of the first session to get on the scoreboard, becoming the first to lose the first eight frames in a final since Dennis Taylor in 1985. He could have avoided becoming a player.
The Welshman, who fought through a tough semi-final win against Stuart Bingham on Saturday night, was clearly relieved when he sank the frame ball with one shot, but the thought remains that Wilson remains the fourth player to win the title. I was concentrating on whether I could become a man. There is plenty of time left in the session.
Wilson was in intimidating form from the start as he rattled off two centuries, including a break of 129 in the first frame, and another quarter-century.
But the 32-year-old Briton, in his first final since losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2020, was far from perfect, missing a blue in the straight of the third frame and giving his opponent a chance, but was unable to convert. There wasn’t.
That was the story of the session for Jones. He was the ninth qualifier to reach the Crucible final, but was punished mercilessly for missing out on further opportunities and looked increasingly restless in his chair.
The Welshman was criticized by six-time world champion Steve Davies, who trailed Taylor by eight frames, for not heading straight to the practice stand at the interval.
“He sat on the chair for four frames,” Davis told the BBC. “Why doesn’t he go to the practice bench?” I don’t know why not.
“He’s not even able to get out of blocks at all and expects to pot difficult shots. It’s a no-brainer for me to go to the practice bench.”
Aside from Taylor’s poor start against Davis, the only time a player dropped the first seven frames in a Crucible final was in 1991, when Jimmy White fell 7-0 behind against John Parrott. .
But Jones looked like a reinvigorated player at the start of the evening session, surging with breaks of 75 and 52 in the first two frames to get back to 7-3.
Jones also had chances in the next two frames, but the underdog’s valiant efforts appeared to be in vain as Wilson snatched them back and the 12th seed regained a seven-frame advantage going into the middle of the session. Looked.
Wilson responded with his fourth century of the day as Jones fell back one more frame, hitting a flashy 122 to take a 10-4 lead, which sparked a courageous comeback from Jones.
It’s a miracle that he’s still there, and he made a shocking play.I’m completely exhausted and I think I could have done better if I had gotten a good night’s sleep last night.
jack jones
The qualifier took the next two frames and made a nice break of 64 under maximum pressure that looked like it would turn the tide of the tie in his favor.
However, missing the yellow left Wilson with just one snooker needed, culminating in Wilson’s failure to clear the collar, making a huge difference to the pair’s prospects when they resume on Monday afternoon. It was a decisive blackball match.
“It’s not about the scoreline, it’s about how you get the slots,” Wilson said. I’m proud of the way I maintained it. I had it in my head that I wanted to be there by 11 tonight, so my goal was accomplished. ”