Kyren Wilson has captured his first Masters championship, overcoming snooker great John Higgins in a hard-fought final at London's Alexandra Palace on Sunday. The 10-6 victory earned 'The Warrior' the coveted Paul Hunter Trophy and a top prize of £350,000.
A Battle of Grit Over Grace
The much-anticipated showpiece, held on January 18, 2026, did not reach the scintillating heights of the players' earlier rounds, but developed into what Wilson himself described as an 'absolute dogfight'. Despite losing the opening frame, Wilson took the next two and never relinquished his lead in a contest marked more by determination than dazzling break-building.
Both finalists had endured demanding routes to the final, which may have contributed to the patchy quality. Higgins, at 50 years old, made history by becoming the oldest ever finalist in a Triple Crown event. His path included dramatic 6-5 wins over world champion Zhao Xintong and world number one Judd Trump. Wilson also navigated two tense 6-5 victories, against Neil Robertson and Wu Yize.
Wilson's Emotional Triumph
The match turned decisively towards the end of the first session. With the score locked at 3-3, Wilson found a stunning burst of form, compiling back-to-back century breaks of 103 and 111 to establish a 5-3 lead. Although Higgins fought back after the interval, winning two of the next three frames, his challenge faded as Wilson grinded out the following three frames to move to the brink of victory at 9-5.
A missed easy black by Wilson allowed Higgins a stay of execution, with the Scot crafting a 70 break to make it 9-6. However, Wilson sealed the title in the 16th frame, visibly emotional as he potted the winning balls. 'It means so much to me,' said the champion. 'For me, it was an absolute honour and privilege to share the table with, not only a legend, but an idol of mine.'
A Remarkable Turnaround
This victory marks a spectacular resurgence for Wilson, who suffered a disastrous first-round exit at the UK Championship just the previous December. That defeat came after he broke the cue with which he won the 2024 World Championship. 'I came here with a new lease on life, with something [a cue] that I trust,' he revealed, adding a heartfelt message: 'I promised my mum that she was going to have that piece of crystal on her dining room table. It’s coming home mum!'
Higgins was gracious in defeat, praising both his opponent and the Alexandra Palace crowd. 'The crowd were fantastic. The entrance tonight was one of the best experiences I’ve had as a snooker player,' he said. 'Take nothing away from Kyren, he was by far the better player. He was totally dominant.' The four-time world champion conceded that he had 'run out of steam' when it mattered most.
With this win, Kyren Wilson has finally landed one of snooker's major crowns after previous near-misses, cementing his status among the sport's elite and completing a remarkable personal comeback story.
