Supercomputer predicts World Snooker Championship with Kyren Wilson set to fall victim to Crucible curse

KYREN WILSON faces a double whammy in his bid to retain the World Snooker Championship 

The famous Crucible curse and a supercomputer prediction are ganging up against the Kettering cuer.

PA

A simulator assessed Kyren Wilson’s hopes of retaining his 2024 crown[/caption]

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The supercomputer also delivered its verdict on Ronnie O’Sullivan & Co[/caption]

Wilson, 33, lifted the crown for the first time with an 18-14 final victory over Jak Jones last May.

The World No. 2 will be second seed for the showpiece event, starting on April 19.

But no player has ever won their first two world titles in a row since the tournament moved to the Crucible in 1977.

In fact, only three players did it before the switch to the compact Sheffield theatre.

And if Wilson believes in omens, that might be a crumb of comfort for him –  as all three were fellow Englishmen.

John Pulman was the last to do so, in 1964 – after Joe Davis in 1928 and his brother Fred Davis in 1949.

Wilson has admitted making a piece of hoodoo-halting history is high up his list of career targets.

He said earlier this year: “Nobody has won it for the first time and defended their title.

Here’s how the supercomputer rates the main Crucible contenders

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“So, that’s definitely right up there with something I would like to try to achieve.”

The World Snooker Championship Supercomputer, via AceOdds, has assessed the chances of every contestant at this year’s event.

And it reckons Wilson only has a 7% chance of repeating his 2024 glory.

But according to the simulator, it’s a tough tournament overall to predict.

Nonetheless, world No. 1 Judd Trump, whose sole Crucible success came in 2019, is rated a warm favourite, with his chances rated at 16.8%.

Trump is even the only player given more than a 50/50 hope of reaching the quarter-finals.

Next comes John Higgins, who is judged at 10.1% for the title after triumphing in the Tour Championship last week at the age of 49.

Legend Ronnie O’Sullivan might be delighted to sit third in the list, given his long lay-off.

The seven-time world champ is said to have an 8.5% chance, just ahead of Selby on 8.4% and Wilson.

The supercomputer reckons only three other players have hopes above five per cent.

Barry Hawkins and Neil Robertson are on 5.5%, with Masters winner Shaun Murphy at 5.3%.