Gary Wilson makes his Tour Championship debut on Monday but is not convinced it should be in the new 12-man format and his opponent agrees. The tournament has been extended from eight to 12 players this season, with players ranked 5-12 on the one-year list starting in round one and the winners joining the top four in the quarter-finals. It is certainly a messier format than previous years and is a step away from the neatness of 32 players qualifying for the World
Grand Prix, 16 at the Players Championship and then eight at the Tour. On the other side of the coin, snooker fans are being handed more matches and some brilliant ties in the first round, including Mark Allen taking on John Higgins and Wilson facing Mark Selby , but the Tyneside Terror is not on board with the changes. The new format came after a surprise line-up last year saw the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, Higgins, Neil Robertson and Mark Williams all miss out on the Tour Championship, with crowds in Hull struggling as a result. The event is now in Manchester with an expanded field, helping to make sure the big names are involved, but Wilson is not convinced it was the right thing to do. ‘I don’t agree, to be honest,’ Wilson told Metro.co.uk . ‘I never did agree from the start. I think everyone’s come to the conclusion that it’s because big players missed out last season and they’ve tried to get them in this season. ‘I think that’s what it is, that’s how I see it. If that’s the case, you wonder why events are set up the way they’re set up. If players miss out they just change the format anyway. Events are set up to attract the top players, but if things don’t go to plan then things change so the top players still get to play in them. ‘It feels like any tournament, and we know this is a commercial world, but any tournament is there for the top players and if it doesn’t quite work out that way we’ll find a way to get you in anyway. ‘I don’t really agree with 12, I think it should stay at eight, it sounds and looks right. 32 [at the Grand Prix], 16 [Players Championship] and 8 for the last one, it’s added more complication and I don’t really know if it’s added any benefit yet.’ Wilson is number six on the one-year list so would have qualified in either format, but Selby at number 11 would have missed out in the old set-up. However, the Jester from Leicester is also not sure the change was the right thing to do, despite arguing against himself. ‘I think 12 is not really here nor there,’ Selby told Metro.co.uk . ‘I think you either do eight or you do 16, but you can’t do 16 because that’s the Players Championship and it would be like another Masters, really. ‘I think it was good at eight and they should have kept it at eight. I know that would have meant me not getting in, but so be it. If I’m not in it that’s only because I’ve not been one of the eight best players this year. ‘With players having to win matches to get to play the top four, it defeats the object of what the tournament is, for me. ‘ Rob Milkins names 'the best player I've ever played in matches or practice' Stephen Hendry decides not to play World Snooker Championship qualifying Fergal O'Brien looks back on the 'great joy' of his snooker career as retirement looms Mark Allen withdraws from World Mixed Doubles due to 'personal circumstances' Wilson, like most players, doesn’t have a great record against Selby but does hold a memorable victory over him at the World Championship in 2019. However, the 38-year-old feels that is bordering on ancient history now and wants to create more recent positive memories against the four-time world champ. ‘He’s one of the toughest to play against and beat, he doesn’t give you anything,’ said Wilson of Selby. ‘You know you’ve got to play at a very good standard to have any chance, so it’s going to be tough. ‘That win was a few years ago, nearly five years ago now. At the time it was a very good win and I had a good run, but that is five years ago, time moves on quickly. ‘If that’s all I’m going to be remembered by in terms of Mark Selby, that’s not what I want. Great player, it’s going to be tough but if I can play anything like I know I can then I’ve got a chance.’ It’s been a fantastic season for Wilson, defending his Scottish Open title and winning the Welsh Open for the first time, which has booked his place at the Tour Championship and the top 16 for the Crucible. It’s unquestionably the most successful period of his career, but it is fair to say he isn’t getting carried away. ‘I’m not feeling particularly anything, to be honest, I’m just treating this as just another tournament,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to sound boring but it’s just another tournament and I’m doing what I need to do as normal. ‘I never have got too excited. Maybe it’s because I think I’ve generally underachieved a bit. Generally when I turn up I know I’ve not performed to the level I’d like to, so you get to the point where you’re not going to get excited for anything. ‘You just turn up, try your best and see what happens. Obviously I am doing better lately, but I’m still not excited. Maybe that’s age, maybe that’s experience, but I just go into events, try as hard as I can and prepare as best I can. I don’t get excited by much these days, I don’t know whether that’s a good or a bad thing, it’s the way it is. ‘Nothing’s really changed that much enjoyment-wise, I’m on a plateau. I don’t really get excited for anything. It’s more like a
Job. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but at the same time I would like to enjoy things a lot more. ‘I’m doing alright with what I’ve got, I’m making the most of it, I don’t want to grumble. It would be lovely to go out and enjoy every occasion and every event, but it’s not realistic for me and I’ve learned to accept that.’ Wilson and Selby play their best-of-19 match over two sessions at 1pm on Monday and Tuesday this week. MORE : Fergal O’Brien looks back on the ‘great joy’ of his snooker career as retirement looms MORE : Jack Lisowski ‘the best player I’ve ever played in matches or practice,’ says Rob Milkins For more stories like this, check our sport page . Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
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