{"id":17594,"date":"2026-07-16T12:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T12:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=17594"},"modified":"2026-07-16T12:36:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T12:36:09","slug":"championship-league-winner-jak-jones-pays-emotional-tribute-after-first-ranking-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=17594","title":{"rendered":"Championship League winner Jak Jones pays emotional tribute after first ranking title"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85.png?w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-29152647\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Jak Jones lands the first ranking title of the season (Picture: Matchroom)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Jak Jones has paid an emotional tribute to his family after winning the first ranking title of his career at the Championship League.<\/p>\n<p>The Welshman has been to a World Championship final but has never got his hands on his professional trophy until Wednesday night in Leicester.<\/p>\n<p>The 32-year-old beat Dave Gilbert 3-2 in the final after falling behind twice to the Angry Farmer, but fighting back in a dramatic short-format contest.<\/p>\n<p>Still young in snooker terms, but it has been a long journey for Jones who first turned pro as a teenager in 2010.<\/p>\n<p>The \u00a333,000 Championship League top prize represents a minor ranking event on the World Snooker Tour, but it is a box ticked and a weight off the shoulders for the man from Cwmbran.<\/p>\n<div class=\"metro-answers\">\n<h3>Ask Metro<\/h3>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<gist-search-widget api-key=\"pk_6d941997f7a2d2913efb8d4bc68a8ba02018ca9624102ad69508a25e6f55a0aa\" user-id=\"metro.co.uk\" target-url=\"\/answers\/\" ref-name=\"metro.co.uk\" theme=\"light\" default-placeholder=\"Ask Metro anything...\" id=\"metro-uk-widget-1\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/gist-search-widget><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-disclaimer\"><em>Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about \u2013 powered by Metro and trusted publications.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tAre you snooker loopy?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>You&#8217;re in the right place. I&#8217;m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for <strong>Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In my newsletter, The Table, I analyse the biggest talking points, pull back the curtain on the sport and crown the biggest winners and losers every week.<\/p>\n<p>Sign up here.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/FB-MAIN-8adc.png?w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27997408\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Phil has been reporting on snooker for over a decade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Speaking after the tense victory, he said: \u2018It feels unreal, to be fair. I probably felt more nervous there than I did in the World final, so it\u2019s crazy really. Probably the smallest ranking event, but I\u2019ll take it.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I\u2019ve just stuck in there, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever got through my first group in this tournament. To win it this year, it\u2019s pretty good.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2151549192.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-29152704\" alt=\"Cazoo World Snooker Championship 2024 - Day Sixteen\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Jones lost to Kyren Wilson in the 2024 World Championship final (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018I know it\u2019s probably the smallest ranking event but it\u2019s still a monkey off my back, if you know what I mean. I won\u2019t really be thinking, I need to win a ranking event, so it\u2019s good to get that out the way.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Jones had heartfelt words for his family after the victory, with his parents especially thanked for their support over his career so far.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018It\u2019s good for my wife, my son, who support me so much. I can\u2019t wait to go home to them. Also for my parents who\u2019ve been through 15 years of watching me lose all the time so it\u2019s nice to win one for them.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\"\/>\n<p>Jones only scraped through his first group, finishing on four points from three games but topping the table on frame difference.<\/p>\n<p>His second stage group was tough, but impressive wins over Chang Bingyu and Marco Fu saw him progress.<\/p>\n<p>The last group saw him beat Hossein Vafaei and Dylan Emery and draw with Zhang Anda to book his spot in the final with Gilbert.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\"\/>\n<p>As for the Englishman, he came so close to becoming the first player to win the ranking version of this event twice, but will have to settle for the \u00a323,000 runner-up prize.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a good start to the season for Gilbert, who had testing groups, with his second featuring Chris Wakelin, Ali Carter and He Guoqiang.<\/p>\n<p>The 45-year-old then went unbeaten in his third group with Noppon Saengkham, Elliot Slessor and Lei Peifan but just fell short against Jones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Last eight confirmed for Championship League Snooker showdown on final day<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Jack Lisowski on misconceptions, criticism and how his first win has changed his life<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Luca Brecel speaks out on \u2018strange health phenomenon\u2019 that harmed his snooker<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card accent--snooker\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card__inner\">\n<h4>The Table<\/h4>\n<p>Stay ahead of snooker&#8217;s next big break with Metro&#8217;s resident expert Phil Haigh in his new weekly newsletter.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; 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background:#ff9ecd; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114305\" data-width=\"250\" data-height=\"250\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114305});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:139px; background:#c792ea; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114302\" data-width=\"133\" data-height=\"139\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114302});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n    <div style=\"height:125px; background:#91e7ac; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/> Championship League winner Jak Jones pays emotional tribute after first ranking title<br \/>\n<br \/>#Championship #League #winner #Jak #Jones #pays #emotional #tribute #ranking #title<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jak Jones lands the first ranking title of the season (Picture: Matchroom) Jak Jones has&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1636,12094,7050,7051,565,585,11781,1458,4333,3847],"class_list":["post-17594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-championship","tag-emotional","tag-jak","tag-jones","tag-league","tag-pays","tag-ranking","tag-title","tag-tribute","tag-winner"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865.png",1200,630,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865-300x158.png",300,158,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865-768x403.png",640,336,true],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865-1024x538.png",640,336,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865.png",1200,630,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865.png",1200,630,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865-1115x630.png",1115,630,true],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865-800x500.png",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865-1024x538.png",1024,538,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865-540x340.png",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jak-Jones-8b85_1784201865-400x250.png",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?cat=6\" rel=\"category\">Sports<\/a>","tag_info":"Sports","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17594"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17594\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}