Kyren Wilson has opened up about his wife Sophie's health struggles, which led the former world snooker champion to take a break from the sport. The 33-year-old, currently world No. 2, admitted that snooker has not been his main focus in recent months due to family concerns.
Wilson revealed last month that Sophie's health had been his top priority after his win at the Xi'an Grand Prix in October. 'My wife has been very poorly so I've not really played snooker for the best part of four or five weeks now,' he told the World Snooker Tour. He added that she was recovering from surgery and that it was a 'last-minute decision' to compete in China.
Thankfully, Wilson shared positive news before the Northern Ireland Open, saying Sophie had received good results after her operation. 'We've been waiting on some results which thankfully have come back all good this week,' he told BBC Sport. 'It's been quite tough... but we've had some fantastic news.'
This is not the first health scare for the family. Sophie, mother to their two children, previously suffered a stroke and had to surrender her driving licence due to epilepsy, triggered by their son Bailey's illness. The cause of her recent surgery remains undisclosed.
Wilson, who won the World Championship last year, has had a mixed season with early exits at several tournaments but a quarter-final at the Northern Ireland Open. He now aims to return to winning ways at the International Championship in Nanjing, China, where he faces David Lilley in the opening round.
