Kettering's Kyren Wilson 'hates' his cue but vows to 'fight for every single frame' in world title bid

Kyren Wilson was a relieved man after his Halo World Championship first round win over Stan Moody on Monday night, but has admitted he is struggling to produce his best form due to issues with his current cue.

The Kettering potter reeled off seven frame wins in a row to recover from 7-3 down to see off his teenage opponent 10-7 at The Crucible, setting up a second round clash with Mark Allen that starts on Thursday night (7pm).

But 2024 world champion Wilson, who trains out of Barratts Club in Northampton, revealed after the win over Moody just how many problems he is currently having.

"I knew I was struggling, and I knew I couldn't win frames in one visit like I normally would," Wilson told BBC Sport.

"I am having a lot of cue issues, a lot of tip issues, and I changed my tip for the evening session.

"I hate my cue, I absolutely hate my cue.

"It is too flexible at the top, I have no control, I have no feel in my hand, and I am just fighting all the time.

"I am changing cue after this tournament, I have a new sponsor and they making me a few new cues, and that is at the back of my mind, so I am just trying to dig it out for this one."

Wilson has endured a difficult season by his high standards after he damaged his previous cue – the one he won the world title with – in the summer of 2025 and was forced to make a change.

But he did win the Masters in January, and Wilson says that fact something he can hang on to as he bids to win a second world title.

"I won the Masters with this cue, so I know I can win with it, but I can't reach my full potential with the cue," said Wilson.

"Unfortunately that is the position I am in, but I will fight for every single frame and every single point, and I will make myself very difficult to beat.

"And I just hope that at some point it will inspire me. It is torture, but I am trying.

"I know I can do it, because I did win the Masters, so I am just fighting my own mind with it all the time.

"Everyone around me knows what I am going through and it is the position I am in. It is what it is, and I just have to keep fighting, this is the world championship."

Wilson can now look forward to a last-16 clash with two-time World Open winner Allen, and he is expecting a close encounter.

"I think we are in very similar positions," said Wilson.

"Mark is also having cue issues and has had a few tough results this year so is maybe lacking a little bit of confidence.

"But we are both very experienced, we both know what it takes to win big tournaments, and hopefully it will be a good game."