Jak Jones landed the first ranking title of his career in July and added the second at the British Open on Sunday, but an eventful season for him is only just getting started.
The 33-year-old has been plugging away since first turning professional in 2010, with the notable high point of reaching the World Championship final in 2024, but without lifting any silverware.
Now that has changed dramatically as he won the Championship League at the start of the season and has followed that up with a brilliant British Open triumph.
The Welshman downed Mark Selby 10-6 in a fascinating final on Sunday, having beaten Judd Trump in the semi-finals on a tough run through the random draw.
Jones also beat Chang Bingyu in the last 32, meaning he ousted the three other players to win titles so far this season in Selby (China Open), Trump (Shanghai Masters) and Chang (Wuhan Open).
‘It’s been difficult for the last 15 years,’ Jones told Channel 5. ‘I’ve been battling away, especially for my parents and my wife and son.
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‘It’s unbelievable because I haven’t really achieved a lot in the game, but this season, to start winning things just feels amazing.
Jak Jones is on the RISE! 👌
22nd in the world…and on the way UP!@JohnstonesTrade pic.twitter.com/RJsQSWG1hv
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‘It’s all worth it, I suppose. It’s nice for my parents to finally have something to cheer about!’
He added: ‘It’s nice to do it and beat the best players in the world as well.’
The Jones family will have more to cheer in the coming days as he and his wife are expecting their second child in the coming days.
After his first win in Cheltenham on Tuesday, Jones told Metro of the due date: ‘In the next 10 days or so. So not, ideal preparation, no. My mind’s on other things I suppose at the moment, more important things.
‘But I’ll keep turning up and then hopefully when the little one’s here we can relax.’
It hasn’t held him back though, despite commuting from Cwmbran for every match, which did leave him shattered by the final.
‘I didn’t stay in a hotel at all. I was travelling back and forth. That wasn’t ideal, really,’ he said.
‘Because I was playing in the evening, I was getting home at 1am every morning. But I was kind of getting away with it because I was playing in the evening all the time, until today, where it was a bit of a struggle.
‘I felt unbelievably tired. So, I wouldn’t say I played with freedom, but I had other things on my mind, I suppose.’
The World Snooker Tour rolls on from Cheltenham to Brentwood for the English Open where Jones was scheduled to play Chang Bingyu again on Monday.
Unsurprisingly, he has opted out, saying: ‘No, my wife would kill me, I think.’
Jones paid particular tribute to his parents after landing the £100,000 top prize, thanking them for everything they have done and still do to help his career and family life.
‘Unbelievable,’ he said of mum and dad Debbie and Colin. ‘They’ve gone through all the struggles with me.
‘They’ve supported me from the beginning, taken me everywhere, no matter where it is. My mum still takes me to all the airports now for all the tournaments. She wanted to bring me up here today, but I told her to stay at home just in case my wife needed her.
‘They’ve been unbelievable. Right from first picking a cue up. Taking me all around the UK, Europe, the world. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them, that’s for sure.’
Jones will likely be back in action on September 17 when he takes on Liam Pullen in an International Championship qualifier in Leicester.
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