Kyren Wilson became the latest player to fall foul of snooker’s Crucible curse after a shock defeat on the opening day of the World Snooker Championship at the hands of Chinese sensation Lei Peifan — underlining the belief many have that this could finally be the year China crowns its first champion of the world.
Not since snooker’s most prestigious event moved to Sheffield in 1977 has a first-time winner of the event gone on to successfully defend the title.
Wilson is now the 20th man on that list after his defense came to a shuddering halt within hours of this year’s tournament beginning, after the world No. 39 produced a magnificent comeback victory.
Photo: AP
Wilson led Lei 6-3 after the opening session on Saturday, but crucially, it was Lei who won the final frame in the morning to ensure the deficit was just three frames, rather than five. The 21-year-old then won six successive frames to start the evening session, all with breaks of 50 or more, to move to the verge of victory.
Wilson returned serve with a clearance of 106 and edged two more nerve-shredding frames to send it to a decider. At that stage, all the momentum seemed to be with the champion, but Lei held his nerve to deliver a break of 66 and close out one of the biggest shocks in the Crucible’s recent history.
As well as that, he ensured the curse would continue for at least another year as well as, more importantly, raising hopes even further that Chinese snooker might be on the verge of what it has craved for some time.
Photo: AP
The hopes of a nation have largely rested on the shoulders of Ding Junhui for quite some time, and when 10 Chinese players were suspended as part of a match-fixing investigation in 2023, it left the sport under a dark cloud.
However, a record 10 players — almost one-third of the draw — from China have qualified for this year’s tournament.
Such is the spread throughout the draw that it seems incredibly likely that at least two would meet in the quarter-finals.
Xiao Guodong led Matthew Selt 7-2 after their opening session.
However, while Lei stole the show and the headlines on the opening day here, all eyes yesterday were on one of the brightest hopes Chinese snooker has ever seen.
Zhao Xintong was one of the 10 players banned in 2023, serving a 20-month suspension for his part in the scandal. However, he has been tipped for stardom from a young age, and has returned to the amateur tour since the expiration of his ban in some style, making a maximum break and coming through qualifying to reach the Crucible.
He is only the third non-professional to reach the main draw, and is scheduled to begin against last year’s finalist Jak Jones after press time last night.
He would meet Lei in the last 16 if he navigates that task.
Many within the sport believe Zhao is best placed to become China’s first world champion, including the great Stephen Hendry.
What the achievement of a Chinese world champion could bring to snooker comes with great intrigue. The Crucible was a marvelous sight on Saturday; the history seeps from the walls, and the surrounding areas are a hive of activity. Few sports are as synonymous with one city quite like snooker is with Sheffield.
However, there is no doubt that the Crucible has its limitations, and talk of moving the world championship is never far from the agenda.
With the tournament’s current deal up in 2027, should a Chinese player win the game’s biggest prize over the coming fortnight, who knows where it could lead, with the tournament watched by as many as 200 million people in China.
Whether Lei is the man to do that or one of the other players from China in action at this tournament remains to be seen.
However, this victory was a statement moment so early into proceedings in Sheffield: not just for the continuation of the curse, but the belief that after so long, maybe this is Chinese snooker’s time.
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev was the only athlete to “beat” a world record on Sunday at the Enhanced Games, winning the men’s 50m freestyle at the divisive competition where athletes were free to take performance-enhancing substances. His time of 20.81 seconds — which is not considered official — came in the final event of the night in Las Vegas, sparing the blushes of organizers who made claims that multiple world records would be surpassed due to a sophisticated doping regime. Gkolomeev, who was wearing a synthetic “supersuit” long banned at events such as the Olympics, outpaced Australia’s Cameron McEvoy’s 20.88 set in
Fred Kerley is competing unaugmented against drug-fuelled athletes at this weekend’s Enhanced Games and still hopes to race in the 2028 Olympics, the suspended former 100m world champion said on Friday. Arguably the biggest name at the divisive event in Las Vegas, where doping is permitted, the US sprinter said he had chosen not to take any of the banned substances including testosterone and steroids that his competitors have been using. “I don’t need it. God gave me fast feet for a reason. And I’m here to showcase my talent,” Kerley said. Kerley last September became the first US competitor and first track
VICTORY ABROAD: The team took home a fistful of medals and secured spots for the autumn’s Asian Games, scheduled for September in Nagoya Taiwan’s women’s team captured the overall title at the Asian Taekwondo Championships in Mongolia on Sunday, finishing with two golds, one silver and one bronze medal. The strong showing, led by gold medalists Wang Chieh-ling and Chang Jui-en secured the full quota of available spots for Taiwan at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, in September. Wang opened Taiwan’s medal run by winning gold in the women’s under-46kg class on Thursday, the first day of competition. Liu Yu-yun later earned a silver in the under-49kg class. On the final day on Sunday, Chang won Taiwan’s second gold medal in the under-62kg event, and
The manager of the Yomiuri Giants, one of Japan’s most popular baseball teams, resigned yesterday after he was arrested for allegedly physically attacking his teenage daughter. Shinnosuke Abe allegedly grabbed the 18-year-old and forced her to the floor at their home in central Tokyo on Monday evening, reported national broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News, citing unnamed police sources. “Leaving like this really means I’m causing you a lot of trouble, and I feel truly sorry about that,” Abe told a hastily arranged news conference, his eyes red with tears. The former star catcher, who is among baseball-obsessed Japan’s most recognized sports figures,
RSS