KYREN WILSON has promised there will be no more dad dancing on the Road to the Crucible.
The reigning world snooker champion boogied into the Telford International Centre on Friday night ahead of a 6-5 semi-final win over Neil Robertson at the Players Championship.
It was a moment of levity for the crowd, who were then treated to a classic – Wilson trailed 4-1 but then responded with breaks of 116, 57, 89 and a match-winning 134.
Yet Wilson has assured SunSport there will be NO repeat of his dance moves in Sunday’s final and over the next six weeks – as he aims to break the Crucible Curse.
Wilson, a father of two, said: “I was trying to have a bit of fun, it’s a Friday night, people pay good money to come and watch us play.
“I want people to tune in and laugh and smile at my expense. I don’t mind making a fool of myself every now and again.
“In today’s world, social media is such a massive platform and that’s a viral dance. Some snooker players could do that more, help to get a younger generation watching on TV.
“I know for a fact there are people who are not necessarily snooker fans but who tuned in to watch that.
“It was inspired by a viral moment by American rapper Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl. My brother and I decided I should do it.
“Friends and family had also egged me on to it as my walk-on. But I am quite capable of switching off from funny mode to serious mode.
“I won’t do it for the final, absolutely not. I like dancing in nightclubs but just won’t do it for the final.”
And although he knows that fans at home will have loved his moves, he’s well aware that former rival and friend Stephen Hendry would have been a little less impressed.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”‘Surely not’ – ITV commentator left stunned by John Higgins’ fluke in Players Championship clash with Chris Wakelin” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6370249417112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]Asked what Hendry would have thought of the dancing on ITV, Wilson replied: “Oh he would have slaughtered me. Slaughtered me.”
Wilson, who is chasing a £150,000 jackpot on Sunday night, has won the past four ranking finals he has contested – and that includes his maiden world title success last May.
Though he did lose in the finale of the Masters – an invitational – to Shaun Murphy at Ally Pally in January.
If he gets the better of Judd Trump or John Higgins over the best of 19 frames in two sessions, he will draw level with cult cueist Jimmy White on 10 ranking titles.
The Warrior, 33, said: “I have goals I want to tick off in my career.
“And one of them is to get to 10 ranking titles. I want to go further than that. I won’t be happy unless I achieve a minimum of 20.
“To draw alongside a legend like Jimmy White would be amazing.”
