Kyren Wilson interview: My son has made me a man... one day I’ll win world title for him

For a candid Kyren Wilson, the stress of the Crucible is child’s play compared to the pressure to be a good father.

Wilson - who departed the tournament after a 13-8 loss to Mark Selby in the quarter-finals - has thanked baby son Finley for putting ”fire in his belly” during his glorious run in Sheffield.

Wilson came through three rounds, including a 10-6 win over former finalist Matthew Stevens, to qualify for the sport’s biggest event before completing notable successes against seeds Joe Perry and Mark Allen in only his second appearance at the tournament. .

The Kettering potter Wilson, 24, found world number one and 2014 champion Mark Selby a little too streetwise, but not before he recovered from trailing 6-0 amid setting the tournament highest break of 143.

“I’ll win this event in the future without a doubt. I believe in myself,” said Wilson after departing the tournament.

It is a view shared by the five-times champion Ronnie O’Sullivan who tweeted a similar sentiment earlier his week.

At the end of the 17-day green baize bonanza, Wilson is guaranteed a place in the world’s top 16 having started out here ranked 19th.

He lost 10-7 to Ricky Walden in the first round of the World Championship two years ago, but is a rapidly maturing figure.

He was the lowest ranked professional – then 54 in the game - to lift a ranking event in 11 years when he carried off the Shanghai Masters with a glorious 10-9 win over Judd Trump last September, but has maintained his gait to finish the season with a flourish.

“The pressure of snooker is not bad... you want to get up to do a night feed at three o’clock in the morning,” Wilson told Eurosport.

“It’s not easy being a part-time father, but I miss him like crazy when I’m travelling and he gives me the fire in the belly that I need.

“Becoming a father wasn’t planned. You’ve just go to find a way of dealing with it. It is life.

“Nobody could have predicted that I would have had a son and be a ranking tournament winner. In my eyes, he has turned me into a man and has put life into perspective.

“He has certainly helped my snooker."

Wilson collects £33,000 for reaching the last eight and is in line to snare extra £10,000 if his 143 knock is not overtaken. A profitable 12 days' works when he due to marry fiancée Sophie this summer.

“I’ve got the right balance away from snooker; my family keep me focused and keep me relaxed away from it,” he said.

“You can let your mind run away it. You’ve got to keep thinking the right things, and be mentally ready.

“Anything is possible in this sport. My mum, dad and fiancé Sophie have given me great support. I’ve got a real nice mix of people around me, including my coach Barry Stark and Eddie Mok, who looks after me during the Chinese tournaments.

"It is good to surround yourself with good people.

“My mum always tells my everything happens for a reason. I’m starting to believe that philosophy. Life can throw anything at you, and you can’t take anything for granted.

“It would have been easy to enjoy what I’ve done so far, but I’m not taking things for granted after this and not putting the work in.

"I'm determined to keep working hard."