JAK JONES WINS FIRST RANKING TITLE AT CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE

Jak Jones claimed his first career ranking title by defeating David Gilbert 3-2 in the final of the 2026 Championship League. The victory came in Leicester and ended a 16-year wait for a ranking title. Jones collected a prize of £33,000 and secured qualification for the Champion of Champions tournament in November. The 32-year-old from Cwmbran turned professional in 2010 and became a permanent fixture on the World Snooker Tour from 2016 onwards.

Jones reached the 2024 World Snooker Championship final as a qualifier, where he lost to Kyren Wilson. That run included victories over former champions Stuart Bingham and Judd Trump. In the Championship League, he defeated Hossein Vafaei, fellow Welshman Dylan Emery and drew against China's Zhang Anda before the final. Jones stated the win felt more nerve-inducing than his appearance at the Crucible two years earlier. He credited his wife, son and parents as sources of support throughout his career.

The victory marks a significant milestone for a player who briefly dropped off the World Snooker Tour twice earlier in his career. Jones expressed relief at removing what he described as "a monkey off my back". He acknowledged the importance of the win for his family, noting his parents had spent 15 years watching him lose before witnessing a ranking title victory.