Wilson Conjures Audacious Trick Shot to Complete 142 Break at Welsh Open
A Moment of Flair to Close Out a Century
Kyren Wilson produced one of the more eye-catching moments of the 2025 Welsh Open on 24 February, executing an audacious trick shot on the final black to bring up a break of 142 against Liu Hongyu. Rather than pot the black by conventional means, Wilson opted for a flamboyant finish that drew immediate attention across social media and snooker broadcast platforms — a rare blend of the theatrical and the technically precise that the sport seldom sees at this level of competition.
The maximum break in snooker stands at 147, meaning a clearance of 142 represents a near-complete table clearance — 27 balls potted in a single visit, with only five points separating Wilson from a perfect frame. To execute a trick shot under those circumstances, rather than simply rolling the black into the pocket, speaks to both Wilson's confidence at the table and his evident comfort with the occasion. It is worth noting that the Welsh Open has historically been a tournament in which Wilson has performed consistently; his appearance at the 2024 World Championship final — where he defeated Mark Selby to claim his maiden world title — underlined a player operating at the peak of his powers.
Break Composition and Statistical Context
A break of 142 places Wilson's effort among the highest compiled at the 2025 Welsh Open. According to CueTracker data, century breaks of 130 or above are relatively uncommon at ranking events, typically accounting for fewer than five per cent of all centuries compiled across a full tournament. A 142 constructed with a trick-shot finale adds an additional layer of rarity — there is no formal statistical category for trick-shot completions on CueTracker, but the footage serves as its own record of the moment.
Wilson's century-break rate across ranking events has been a reliable indicator of his sustained elite form. In the 2023–24 season, he compiled 57 centuries across all competitions (source: CueTracker), a total consistent with the top tier of the tour. A break of 142 at a ranking event, regardless of the manner in which it concludes, contributes meaningfully to that tally and reinforces his status as one of the most complete players on the professional circuit.
Liu Hongyu and the Growing Chinese Presence on Tour
Wilson's opponent, Liu Hongyu, is among a generation of Chinese professionals who have made significant strides on the World Snooker Tour in recent seasons. The broader context of this match sits alongside a remarkable sub-story at the same Welsh Open: fellow Chinese player Chang Bingyu was reported to have compiled four consecutive centuries in a single match — described in broadcast coverage as "a piece of snooker history" — underlining the depth of talent now emerging from China's snooker infrastructure.
The Welsh Open itself, held annually in Cardiff, has been a fixture on the ranking calendar since 1992. It carries ranking points equivalent to other mid-tier ranking events and frequently serves as a barometer of form ahead of the Players Championship and, ultimately, the World Championship at the Crucible. For Wilson, a result here — and particularly a performance as polished as a 142 break — carries weight beyond the immediate match.
Showmanship Within the Discipline
Trick shots in competitive snooker occupy an unusual space. They are not prohibited under the rules of the sport, provided the cue ball makes contact with the intended object ball in the correct sequence. However, their use in live match play is extraordinarily rare precisely because the risk of failure — a miss, a foul, or an unintended snooker — is considerable. Most professionals, when faced with a straightforward black to complete a century, will opt for certainty over spectacle.
Wilson's decision to attempt a trick shot on the final black of a 142 break suggests a level of in-match comfort that goes beyond mere technical ability. It implies a reading of the situation — the scoreline, the match state, the position of the cue ball — that permitted a degree of creative liberty most players would not afford themselves. Whether it was pre-meditated or instinctive in the moment is difficult to assess from the available footage alone, but the execution was clean and the outcome emphatic.
In a sport that can sometimes be characterised by its conservatism and adherence to established patterns of play, moments like this serve as a reminder that snooker retains the capacity to surprise. Wilson, the reigning world champion, appears to be playing with a freedom that the sport's greatest occasions tend to unlock rather than suppress.
