Kyren Wilson v Oliver Lines live stream | Northern Ireland Open 2025 preview
Wilson begins his title defence on Tuesday (Action Plus Sports Images/Alamy Live News)
Kyren Wilson launches the defence of his Northern Ireland Open crown against Oliver Lines in Belfast on Tuesday.
The Warrior claimed his first Home Nations title at the Waterfront Hall 12 months ago, following a commanding 9-3 victory over Judd Trump in the final.
It was the second of four ranking triumphs Wilson enjoyed last season, while he also claimed silverware at the start of this campaign at the Shanghai Masters.
The world number two also reached the Saudi Arabia Masters quarter-finals, but personal issues away from the table have prevented him from building on that early momentum.
Indeed, Wilson suffered last-64 exits at the Wuhan Open, English Open and British Open, while he was whitewashed 5-0 by Shaun Murphy without potting a single ball in the Xi’an Grand Prix last 16.
Lines also reached that stage in Xi’an as well as Saudi Arabia, where he earned his biggest career payday in the process.
The world number 62 claimed the scalp of reigning champion and good friend Judd Trump in the latter, while he has also beaten Mark Allen this season.
Allen was one of the players Lines beat when he reached the last 16 of the Northern Ireland Open 12 months ago – along with Ricky Walden – as he matched his best performance in the Home Nations Series.
The Leeds left-hander has only won one of his six previous meetings with Wilson. Coincidentally, though, that sole victory did come in the Series, at the 2023 English Open.
A showdown with either Matthew Selt or Ryan Day awaits the winner of this clash in the last 32.
The match breaks off at 1pm BST on Tuesday and will be contested over the best of seven frames at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
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