Jak Jones

Jak Jones was born on July 29, 1993, in Cwmbran, Torfaen, Wales. His snooker talent was first recognized by former snooker World Championship semi-finalist Darren Morgan during a holiday. Jones turned professional at the age of 16 in 2010 after securing the 2010 European Under-19 Snooker Championship, defeating Anthony McGill in the final. His initial professional stint lasted one season, after which he was relegated from the tour. He later regained his professional status for the 2013-14 season through the EBSA Qualifying Tour play-offs, following a period where he primarily competed in Players Tour Championship (PTC) events and achieved notable results such as reaching the last 16 at the PTC 2011/2012 – Event 2.

Jones’ career progression saw him re-enter the professional tour in 2016 after winning the 2016 EBSA European Championship. Throughout the late 2010s, he consistently qualified for various ranking events, reaching the fourth round of the English Open in 2016 and the International Championship second round. His performances saw his world ranking gradually improve. A significant turning point came in the 2020-21 season when he reached his first ranking event quarter-final at the English Open and later his maiden semi-final at the 2022 Gibraltar Open, defeating notable players like Mark Allen, Neil Robertson, and Stuart Bingham.

The 2023 and 2024 World Snooker Championships marked a substantial elevation in Jones’ career. In 2023, he made his Crucible Theatre debut, reaching the quarter-finals after qualifying and defeating Ali Carter and Neil Robertson. In 2024, as the second-lowest ranked player to qualify, he had a remarkable run to the World Championship final, overcoming Zhang Anda, Si Jiahui, and Judd Trump. Although he lost to Kyren Wilson in the final, this achievement earned him £200,000 in prize money and propelled him to a career-high world ranking of 14th, solidifying his position as a top player.