Wilson's comeback ends teenager Stan Moody Crucible debut in first round

Sheffield, April 21 (IANS) Stan Moody's Crucible debut ended in defeat as the teenager made critical errors in the closing stages of a 10-7 defeat against Kyren Wilson in the first round of the World Snooker Championship.

The 19-year-old British teen, was on course to become the youngest player to win a match at the Crucible since Ronnie O'Sullivan in 1995 when he led 7-3, but crucially he passed up a chance to go 8-3 ahead, and later another to make it 8-6.

Wilson showed the resolve which won him the title in 2024 as he stormed back to take the last seven frames and punched the air in relief as he celebrated victory. Having avoided a seismic Sheffield shock, the world number two is into the last 16 and will face Mark Allen on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, World Snooker reports.

The first British teenager to make a Crucible debut since Judd Trump in 2007, Moody looked in his element for much of the day, exuding confidence as he showed the full range of his potting and break-building skills. He was dominating the tie at 7-3, but perhaps tightened up as the winning line drew close and the lost momentum.

"I'm gutted, I lost too many bad frames. I had the match won at 7-3 then it turned around. I felt comfortable out there, it was still a great experience and I have to learn from it," Moody said.

Trailing 6-3 after the first session, Wilson had chances in the opening frame but missed the green to a baulk corner when he led 44-28, and Moody converted a doubled red to a centre pocket to set up a 48 clearance. Moody might have gone 8-3 up but missed the last red along the top cushion when he led by 35 points in frame 11. Wilson cleared the table to force a respotted black, then potted it from distance to spark his fight back.

A break of 63 from Wilson helped make it 7-5 and in frame 13, Moody missed a risky yellow to a centre pocket when he trailed 52-15, and soon the gap was just one.

Moody looked sure to go 8-6 ahead until he broke down on 68 in the 14th with four reds left, and Wilson replied with 24 before gaining the three snookers he needed on the last red and cleared to level the tie.

Early in the next frame, Moody missed an awkward black to a top corner on 7, and Wilson's run of 46 gave him the lead for the first time, then he dominated the 16th with 35 and 34 for 9-7.

Moody might have kept the match alive if he had cleared the colours in frame 17, but he missed a tough final black which was close to the top cushion, and Wilson slotted it home.