Kyren Wilson fights back to deny teen debutant Stan Moody an upset win at world snooker c’ship
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
(Back row from left to R) England's Chris Wakelin, China's Xiao Guodong, Australia's Neil Robertson, England's Shaun Murphy, England's Mark Selby, China's Wu Yize, Wales' Mark Williams and China's Si Jiahui (front row from left) England's Barry Hawkins, Scotland's John Higgins, England's Kyren Wilson, China's Zhao Xintong, Northern Ireland's Mark Allen and China's Ding Junhui taking a photo with the trophy during a media day launching the start of the World Snooker Championship at Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, northern England, on April 17, 2026.
PHOTO: AFP
DeeperDive is a beta AI feature. Refer to full articles for the facts.
SHEFFIELD, England – Kyren Wilson staged a thrilling comeback from 7-3 down to beat 19-year-old debutant Stan Moody 10-7 in the first round of the world snooker championship on April 20.
The 2024 champion, won seven frames in a row to deny his opponent a memorable victory at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.
“Just too many bad frames,” said Moody, who would have become the youngest player since a 19-year-old Ronnie O’Sullivan in 1995 to win a match at the Crucible.
“It felt like I had the match won at 7-3 and it just went downhill from there. Gutted. Felt like I was the better player today but just a bit of experience and losing bad frames and they hurt.”
Wilson, 34, whose comeback started with a re-spotted black to go 4-7, said the teenager had “started off like a train” with some “mad” shots that went in.
At the same time the former champion said he had been fighting a “whippy” cue, despite changing the tip before the evening session and also trying a spare even though he won the Masters with the other one in January.
“I'm just sat there thinking ‘oh my god, I could do without this really’,” he said of the experience of watching his opponent surge ahead, with Moody hitting an 84 in his first frame.
“He’s very young so I’m sure he'll learn from that experience and come back stronger for the future.” REUTERS
