Kyren Wilson names young English snooker star he believes has the right attitude to become a top player

World number two Wilson, who turns 34 later this month, is the youngest British player currently ranked inside the sport's elite top 16.

Over half of that top 16 bracket are aged 40 or over, with Mark Allen (39) and Ding Junhui (38) also approaching that milestone. World number one Judd Trump is 36.

However, reigning world champion Zhao Xintong is 28, new ranking event winner Wu Yize is 22, and Wilson can see the much-improved Pullen rising the ranks in the coming years, too.

Speaking to Dream Vegas ahead of his 2025 UK Championship campaign where he will face qualifier Elliot Slessor in round one, Wilson was asked whether snooker has its own Luke Littler, and who snooker's stars of the future are.

Despite there being 10 years between the two world champions from their respective professions, Wilson firstly named current Crucible king Zhao.

"I think we already have that figure in the style of Zhao Xintong. You won't see how things are for us in China, but honestly, we're treated like Premier League footballers in that country, and the success of Zhao Xintong has definitely added to that."

Closer to home, Wilson nominated fellow Englishman Pullen, someone he has spent time with and thinks is currently going under the radar.

"Someone else I’d say is Liam Pullen. I have practiced with him an awful lot, and I think he goes under the radar. He's just had his first 147 at the UK Championship, and he’s still only 20 years old.

"I went to practice recently at Landywood [Snooker Club], where Liam [Pullen] is now based. He has moved himself to a flat there, just because the practice facilities are so good. I saw him go out and order some food, and instead of sitting there and waiting for his order, he came back and started doing routines on the table. I thought to myself that he’s got the desire and attitude you need to have to be a top snooker player.

"He’s very solid. I mean, if you're playing people like John Higgins in first round qualifying matches to get to places, how hard is that? Yet he's managed to beat him once and lose 6-5 in another. So that tells you all you need to know."

Pullen has become a hot property in the sport over the past few months, having regained his World Snooker Tour card earlier this year at Q School.

He broke new personal ground at this season’s Xi’an Grand Prix, defeating four-time world champion Higgins to qualify for the main draw in China where he won a further three matches to reach the quarter-finals - the first time he had made the last eight of a professional event. He pocketed the largest payday of his young career, so far - £22,350.

Pullen has also picked up several wins across other events, and very nearly got the better of Higgins again, at the International Championship qualifiers, but lost 6-5.

At the recent UK qualifiers in Wigan, the reigning English under-21 champion produced his first 147 in professional competition, becoming the youngest player to complete perfection on the top flight in 15 years. He is the fifth youngest-ever to make one overall on that official list.

Another cueist Wilson pointed to was newly-minted International Championship winner Wu, who defeated Higgins in the final on home soil in China last month.

"I would have to say Wu Yize too. He's just won a big tournament out in China, and he has been knocking on the door of others. He’s a very, very good player.

"I think he works very hard, and he believes in himself. People can say you're going to be a potential winner, but until you prove it and you actually achieve that title, like he has, then there's no confidence like it. So now he has ticked that off, I think it will give him a new level to his game."

At the time of writing, both Zhao and Wu are through to the last 16 of the ongoing Triple Crown event at the Barbican Centre in York.

To view the full draw, results, match schedule, and other information from the 2025 UK Championship, visit here.