May 4th 2024.
Jak Jones has been facing some unpleasant comments on social media lately. However, instead of letting it bring him down, the snooker player has used it as motivation during his impressive run at the World Snooker Championship. Despite facing criticism from online trolls, the 30-year-old has remained focused and determined, making it to the semi-finals at the Crucible.
As a surprise semi-finalist, Jones has had to go through qualifying rounds and defeat top players such as Zhang Anda, Si Jiahui, and Judd Trump to secure a spot in the one-table set-up. Despite his successes, he has still faced negativity online, which he addressed in a rare tweet after his second-round win over Si. Jones admits that he usually avoids social media when it comes to snooker, but during this tournament, it has been hard to escape the negative comments.
"I try to stay away from snooker online, but for some reason, it keeps popping up on my timeline," Jones shared. "I've seen a few not-so-nice comments, but I know every player gets it. It doesn't bother me too much because I know it's just people with sad lives sitting in their bedrooms and criticizing others. They usually don't even have a profile picture."
Despite the negativity, Jones has found a way to use it to his advantage. He sees it as fuel to push him even harder and prove his critics wrong. "It motivates me in a way. I like seeing both the good and the bad comments because it drives me to do better. I know I'm not the only one who has to deal with this, every player gets it," he explained.
Jones is known for his steady and methodical style of play, but he wants to set the record straight for those who criticize him for being too slow. "I think some people like to jump to conclusions about my pace of play because of my past, but if they really watch the game, they would see that it's not the case," he stated. "Sure, I might take a bit longer on some shots, but there are other top players who take a similar amount of time. I actually consider myself a fast player in practice, but once I can shake off the doubts, I know I can be even faster in tournaments."
Jones will be facing Stuart Bingham in his first ever World Championship semi-final, and he is determined to prove his critics wrong once again. The two will play their final two sessions on Saturday, and Jones is ready to give it his all. "I'm not going to let the negativity get to me. I'll use it as motivation and hopefully come out on top," he said confidently.
In the midst of his impressive performance at the Crucible, Jones also took a moment to praise the referees. He even named a female referee as the best in the world, despite having previously complained about the officials. "I have nothing but respect for the referees. They have a tough job and they do it well. In fact, I would even say that [female referee's name] is the best in the world. I may have had some frustrations in the past, but I have nothing but admiration for them," he shared.
As Jones prepares for his semi-final match, he hopes to continue proving his critics wrong and making his mark in the world of snooker. He knows that he has the talent and determination to succeed, and nothing will stand in his way.
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