Kyren Wilson is an English snooker star who has four major ranking titles to his name. He first made his highlight after he won the 2015 Shanghai Masters.
The Warrior recently came into highlights after putting up an incredible performance against “The Rocket” Ronnie O’Sullivan in the 2020 World Championship.
Kyren Wilson’s talent amazed his parents when he spurred Peter Ebdon in a game of pool when he was only six years old.
Wilson has won millions in prize money. He is a successful young player in the snooker world, but behind the success is always a story of struggle.
There was a time when he did not even qualify for the ranking events because of his poor performance.
For two seasons, he only played the PTC events. How did he rise from the fall? Who inspired him? What was his childhood like?
Read the article as we answer all these questions. Let’s jump right into it with some quick facts.
Kyren Wilson | Quick Facts
| Full Name | Kyren Wilson |
| Birth Date | 23rd December 1991 |
| Birth Place | Northamptonshire, Kettering, England |
| Current Residence | Kettering, England |
| Nick Name | The Warrior |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | English |
| Famous for being | Snooker Player |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| Education | N/A |
| Horoscope | Capricon |
| Father’s Name | Rob Wilson |
| Mother’s Name | Sonya Wilson |
| Siblings | One younger brother (Taylor Wilson) |
| Age | 32 years old |
| Height | N/A |
| Weight | N/A |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Build | Average |
| Hobbies | N/A |
| Favorite Destination | N/A |
| Profession | Pro Snooker Player |
| Marital Status | Married to Sophie Wilson |
| Kids | Two sons (Finely and Bailey) |
| Net Worth | $2,500,000 |
| Merch | T-shirt, Snooker Cue, Snooker Cue Sticks |
| Last Updated | April, 2024 |
Kyren Wilson | Early Days & Life
The Warrior was born on 23rd December 1991. He was born in Kettering, England, to his father, Rob Wilson, and his mother, Sonya Wilson.
He grew up in Kettering along with his brother Taylor Wilson.
Kyren’s first involvement with the pool dates back to when he was two, just years old. His godparents gave him a golf set but did not show him how to play it.
His instincts kicked in; he put the balls down on the footstool, turned the golf club around, and started cueing.
Growing up, Kyren used to practice with peter Ebdon. Peter owned an academy back when Kyren was 11-ish years old, about 10 miles away from Kyren’s home.
Kyren used to go to summer schools there for a whole day now and then. He made his hungry mom wait long hours in the academy as he couldn’t get over playing with Peter.
You might want to read about Heidi Stroble, Cole Hamels’ wife >>
Humble Beginning
Kyren participated in a lot of amateur and junior competitions throughout his childhood.
When he had to stay overnight at a hotel for a competition tomorrow morning, he did not bother staying in a hotel and reached the venue the following day as soon as possible.
The reason to do so was that his parents could not afford him a stay at a hotel. They were a one-salary family. Since they could not afford a room, his mother drove him to the venue on the day of the match.
Kyren used to see posts on Facebook of the other competitors enjoying their stay at the hotel, and he used to tell his mom about it. His mom used to respond,
“When you get to the finals, 7 o’clock the next night, you’ll just be thinking you’ve got to work that much harder.”
His mom believes that his initial Career shaped the way he is now. His hard-working character and persistence are all thanks to his humble beginnings.
Kyren Wilson | Before Big Matches
As stated by his wife Sophie, Kyren likes to stay in a strict routine before his big day. He wants to drink tea at a scheduled time, likes to sleep at the scheduled time, and has become a different man.
His wife stated that Kyren becomes a different self than he usually is, “he is not shut off in a way, but he is in the zone already. He is, you know, Snooker Kyren, and everything’s got to be at the same time”.
Kyren Wilson: Wife, Kids, and Family
Marriage and Kids
Kyren Wilson has been married to his long-time partner since 2016. The duo exchanged their sacred vows on 5th June 2016, seven years after they met.
The two had planned to get married in September of 2015 but had to postpone it following the birth of their first child.
Following that, they named their first son Finely Wilson. Their second son, Bailey Wilson, quickly followed up on 8th September 2017.
![Sophie WIlson with her two sons Finley [left] and Bailey [right]](https://playersbio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/160024539_813074189616669_4284777211392043899_n-e1635320133934.jpg)
Ever since that meet-up, they have not been apart. They have two kids together and show no cracks in their marital relationship.
Moreover, he also teaches his kids how to play their won mini pool/snooker set. He leads his two sons to hold the stick properly and where to hit the cue ball during his free time.
You might want to read about Greg Anthony, his family, and how he cheated on his wife >>
Wife and Family
In an interview with Euro sports in 2016, Kyren said, and we quote,
“I was a little boy two years ago, but I’ve turned into a man since then. I’ve got a one-year-old son, and I’m getting married in June.”
He often praises his wife’s ability to handle his family while he is away for the tournaments, so he ensures that she feels special. Following that idea, he brought his wife a Range Rover for their 4th anniversary.
Moreover, besides looking after the family, his wife also manages Soph & Co, a baby clothing store.
He further commented on his parenthood, stating that he is somewhat of a part-time father as he has to travel a lot for the events he plays in.
Kyren takes a lot of inspiration from his dad, who stayed strong despite battling multiple sclerosis, which his father had endured for most of his adult life.
At the time, he used to look for his father among the crowd to find the support he needed to play incredibly.
Kyren Wilson | Career
Wilson began his amateur Career in the 2009/10 season. His performance that season wasn’t incredible, as you’d expect from an amateur, but it was respectable, nonetheless.
Kyren won the 6th event and came 2nd in the 3rd event of the International Open Series. He was ranked fifth in the overall performance.
The English player’s respectable performance earned him a shot at the 2010/11 Main Tour.
Professional Debut
Kyren played his first UK Championship in the 2010/11 season and his first World Championship. In the UK, he defeated the likes of McCulloch and Paul Davidson but lost the next match to Rory McLeod.
Likewise, in the World Championship, Rory once again defeated him on the same stage. He defeated Joe Swail and Dermot McGlinchey before facing Rory.
Things were not going well for the just-turned-professional player. He finished the season ranking 72nd in the world. Only the players within the top 64th were eligible for qualifying for the upcoming ranking events.
In a desperate attempt for a comeback, he joined the Qualifying School but did not qualify for the ranking events despite good performance.
Kyren was an amateur player; he dropped off the snooker tour but played all 12 of PTC’s (Players Tour Championship) events. His performance placed him 72nd on the PTC Order of Merit.
After that, the English snooker player did not have any other choice but to join the Qualifying School once again, but this time he only won one event out of three.
He played the PTC events in his 2012/13 season as he couldn’t qualify for the ranking events. He performed well in the Kay Suzanne Memorial Trophy, defeating Tom Ford, Stephen Maguire, and Jamie Jones.
Return to the ranking events
His 75th position in the PTC Order of Merit earned him a chance at ranking events in the next season.
Kyren played in the Shangai Masters, International Championship, China Open, and the World Championship in the 2013/14 season. He won a total of four matches in the SHnagai Mastera event.
Kyren defeated Marcus Campbell in the qualifying round and reached the main stage of a ranking event for the first time.
Later, he faced Stuart Bingham; he missed making the highest possible break but won the match.
Following that, he faced Marco Fu and won against him too but lost in the quarterfinals against Michael Holt.
Kyren’s World Championship performance that season was incredible. He started the event by defeating Chris Norbury, followed by Alfie Burden and Rod Lawler.
After that, he faced Graeme Dott and won over him, marking the qualifying stage’s ending. In the event’s first round, he faced Ricky Walden, which would mark his end for the tournament.
Despite scoring two centuries in the match, he conceded to Ricky with a 10-7 score.
Kyren Wilson was in tears after winning the World Championship semi-finals
Usually, athletes and players cry tears of joy after an achievement. But Kyren, on the other hand, screamed in pain after he defeated Anthony McGill in the 2020 World Snooker Championship.
Anthony overturns the 14-11 score in Kyren’s favor to 16-15 in his favor. The Warrior missed the green ball, and Anthony won his third frame. Anthony had won the first two frames before that.
Despite being dominated in the last moments of the match, Kyren could somehow elongate the game to the final frame. Kyren won the match by a dramatic green pot clinch.
The aftermath of victory
After an hour-long, intense, and dramatic final frame, the English man, won over Anthony, securing his first finals appearance in the World Championship finals.
“I had dreamt of this moment, but I didn’t want to get here like this,” said Wilson remorsefully.
Anthony had missed the snooker eight times before Kyren defied a green to seal the deal in the final frame. Of course, snooker fans went crazy, Anthony had such a fantastic play throughout the game, but he did not win.
The fans commented that it was the ridiculous final frame in the history of snooker.
“I can’t believe it ended like that. I didn’t want to send someone home on a fluke,” said Kyren with tears in his eyes.
The seven-time World Snooker Champion, Stephen Hendry, also commented on the match as the most bizarre outcome he has ever seen.
Following the victory over Anthony, he faced Ronnie O’Sullivan in the finals, which favored Ronnie. He lost the World Championship title to Ronnie with an 18-8 score.
Kyren Wilson | Ranking Titles
2015 Shangai Masters – Kyren Wilson won the 2015 Shangai Masters facing off against Judd Trump. The Englishman celebrated his victory following a 10-9 score in his favor.
2018 Paul Hunter Classic – Kyren won the 2018 Paul Hunter Classic title against his opponent, Peter Ebdon, his childhood partner/teacher, following a 4-2 score.
2018 German Masters – The same year, he bagged another ranking title. He played the 2018 German Masters finals against David Gilbert and led the scoreboard with a 9-7 score.
2020 Championship League – Kyren managed to snatch the title, facing Judd Trump in the finals once again. He won the match with a 3-1 score.
Kyren Wilson | Net Worth
Kyren has gathered a total of £2,164,636 from the tournaments he played, which is almost 3 million US dollars.
He has saved most of it and has an estimated net worth of 2.5 million dollars.
Likewise, the Warrior is not a flashy person; he does not buy expensive things for show-offs; maybe that is why he has saved most of his earnings.
On the other hand, he might have invested his earnings in some properties or businesses, he seems like a pretty reasonable guy, but we can’t say for sure.
Kyren Wilson | Trivia
When asked about how he feels about snooker, it turned into a job rather than a passion like when he was a kid. Kyren said that it’s somewhere in between.
He also said that sometimes it’s like a life and death situation when you have to earn, so it’s not the same experience he used to get when he was a child.
“It takes away the enjoyment when you have to start earning,” said Kyren.
Wilson’s favorite snooker player is Mark Selby.
Moving on to his TV appearances, he has appeared in the BBC TV show World Championship Snooker, the BBC coverage of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.
Similarly, he has appeared in the Dafabet Masters, the BBC coverage of the Master’s snooker tournament at Alexandra Palace in London, England.
Lastly, he appeared in the Live BBC coverage of the UK Championship snooker tournament at the Barbican Centre in York, England, Betway UK Championship.
Despite naming Ronnie O’Sullivan and Steve Davis as two of his influences, he was never a fan of watching snooker on TV; instead, he practiced for hours and hours on end.
Social Media Links
Instagram: 36.2k followers
Twitter: 33.1k followers
FAQs
What ranking is Kyren Wilson in snooker?
After the 2021 BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, Kyrenhas been placed at the 5th position in the world leader scoreboard.
Neil Robertson is a step above him at 4th, and Ronnie O’Sullivan is in the 3rd. The 1st and 2nd spot is dominated by Judd Trump and Mark Selby, respectively.
Where does Kyren Wilson come from?
Kyren Wilson is a native of Kettering, England. He was born and raised there; he has spent all his life there. Even today, he lives in the same town with his wife, kids, and parents.
How did Kyren get his nickname?
Kyren got his nickname after his relentless struggle in his early Career. He spent two seasons without being qualified for any ranking events, but he didn’t give up and look at where he is now, the top 5 snooker players in the world.
Because he fought through his tough times like a warrior fights for his people, he was nicknamed “The Warrior.”
