Debutant Lei Stuns Wilson As Crucible Curse Strikes Again
Kyren Wilson became the 20th first-time Crucible champion to fail to defend the title the following year as he suffered a dramatic 10-9 reverse against debutant Lei Peifan on the opening night of the Halo World Championship.
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In a match of momentum swings, Wilson won six frames in a row to lead 6-2, then lost seven in succession to trail 9-6, before a late fight-back, only to lose the decider. Having conquered the Crucible 12 months ago, it’s a massive blow for the 33-year-old who had high hopes of retaining the title after a prolific season in which he has won four trophies. Wilson becomes the eighth first-time Crucible champion to lose in the first round the following year, and it ends a streak of nine consecutive years in which he has reached at least the second round.
Early Exits
First time champions to lose their opening match the following year
Terry Griffiths 1980 Steve Davis 1982 Dennis Taylor 1986 Graeme Dott 2007 Neil Robertson 2011 Stuart Bingham 2016 Luca Brecel 2024 Kyren Wilson 2025
China’s 21-year-old Lei won his first ranking title earlier this season at the BetVictor Scottish Open, but said that tonight’s win was the biggest of his career so far as he rose to the occasion on his maiden appearance at snooker’s most famous venue. From 6-2 down, he hit his opponent with a barrage of high scoring, and after a late wobble he regained his composure to make an excellent break in the deciding frame.
The world number 39, who nearly missed out on the Crucible as he had to come from 7-4 and 9-8 down to beat Gao Yang 10-9 in the final qualifying round, is through to the last 16 and will face Zhao Xintong or Jak Jones from Friday next week.
“It feels amazing. The Scottish Open was my first title and this was my Crucible debut — both moments are very special to me. The emotions were just as intense,” said Lei.
Lei trailed 6-3 after the first session but dominated from the start tonight, firing breaks of 50, 53, 60, 75 and 89 to take the first four frames and lead 7-6. After the interval, Wilson had the first scoring chance in frame 14 but made just 19 before missing a red to a top corner and Lei punished him with 69. Another Wilson missed red to a corner pocket early in the 15th proved expensive as his opponent compiled a superb 92 for 9-6.
World number two Wilson pulled one back with a break of 106. In the 17th, Lei was two pots from victory on a run of 60 when he over-cut the third last red to a top corner, and Wilson later cleared with 45 to close the gap to 9-8. Lei led 40-10 in the 18th when he missed a mid-range red and Wilson’s 60 drew them level.
Kettering’s Wilson had one clear chance in the decider but made just 14 before failing to split the pack off the blue. He later made a safety error and Lei’s tremendous break of 66 made him the first player to beat a defending champion in their debut match at the Crucible since Stuart Bingham knocked out Stephen Hendry in 2000.
Wilson said: “It’s really hard to take, it really hurts. Lei potted some incredible balls and held himself together in the end, he seems like a cool character and I wish him all the best. It has been a long season, I have done so much. I am proud of the way I have handled it and hopefully I have given you guys (the media) plenty to write about. We are all trying to grow the game, make it more popular and help the younger generation to see it as a great sport to get into.“
Lei added: “I didn’t think I had much chance when the draw came out. But the moment I stepped into the arena and saw the crowd, I just felt so excited. It really lived up to what I saw on TV all those years ago. I was definitely feeling pressure towards the end. I calmed myself down and told myself not to over-think — just to let go and play freely.
“I really enjoyed playing here – the crowd, the lighting, the whole atmosphere was amazing. I was fully immersed and happy throughout the match. In the deciding frame when the curtain came up, it felt like I was in a final. I used to watch that scene on TV when I was a kid – now it was real, I was actually sitting next to that table. It brought back so many childhood memories. And of course, it made me want to win even more – I’ve worked hard to get here, and I wanted to give something back to the fans and to myself.“
On the other table, Barry Hawkins took a 5-4 lead over Hossein Vafaei. World number 11 Hawkins, runner-up here in 2013, top scored with 93 in taking a 3-1 lead. After the interval, Iran’s Vafaei rallied with breaks of 56 and 123 to restore parity at 3-3. Hawkins pulled away again to 5-3, but Vafaei made an important 64 in the last of the evening to trail by just one frame overnight.
Kyren Wilson has been a fantastic World Champion all season, a great ambassador for his sport. Yesterday he came up short, just, against an inspired Lei Peifan. Lei is very strong under pressure, he showed that earlier this season, the way he won the Scottish Open, his first ranking title. Obviously, Kyren must be very disappointed right now but he should be proud of himself and of the way he represented his sport. I hope that, in a few days, he can see how well he did as a first time World Champion. Thank you Kyren.
Hereafter, the ES pundits, including Ronnie, discuss various topics, among other things, why/how the Crucible is special and Zhao Xintong’s as well as Judd Trump’s, Mark Selby an John Higgins’ chances. This was before the evening session . Zhao starts today…
Zhao served his ban, came back hungry, regained his tour card via an official route, and earned his invite via an official route as well. He deserves to be here.
We are finally getting some news about Ronnie … it’s not great but the very fact that he decided to open up about his struggles is a positive. Here are two pieces reporting what Ronnie had to say about how he feels and what the situation currently is. Thank you Ben for sharing them in commentary.
It seems that we read and look up the same stuff …
Ronnie O’Sullivan reveals the chances of him playing at the World Snooker Championship – and opens up on being at the ‘end of his tether’ with the sport
Ronnie O’Sullivan has not competed at a tournament since his January meltdown
The Englishman snapped his cue and said he was ‘burnt out,’ needing a break
Now he has given an insight into his mentality about the World Championship
Ronnie O’Sullivan admits he still does not know if he will play at this month’s World Snooker Championship – and he will give himself until the day before the draw to decide.
The record seven-time world champion has not competed in a tournament since snapping his cue in anger at the Champions League in Leicester in January.
Explaining his prolonged absence for the first time, O’Sullivan said he needed to take a break because he was ‘burnt out’, revealing he had become ‘scared’ to pick up his cue because of how badly he was playing.
The 49-year-old has since returned to the practice table and is working with coach Gary Filtness to see if he can improve his form in time to make a comeback at the Crucible.
O’Sullivan has been given a provisional seeding of four for the World Championship which starts on April 19, with the draw taking place two days before.
But the Rocket told Mail Sport: ‘If you’d asked me three days ago, I’d have said, “100 per cent I’m playing”, because I found something, and I was like, “Wow, I’m hitting the ball good”.
‘The confidence came back and it lasted for three days, and I was like, “Oh yeah, I fancy it”. But then the last two days, it’s gone downhill. It seems to be one step forward, two steps back.
‘As I sit here, it’s highly unlikely I’ll play in the World Championship. But I’ve got some practice sessions booked in with a very, very good player who is in the top 16 on April 14th, 15th and 16th. So I’m going to give myself until that very last practice session to just see where my game is at.
‘If I think, “You know what, it’s all right”, I’ll probably play. But if it’s like it is today, it’s just not going to be pretty for me.
‘Obviously, I snapped my cue and I’m still trying to find a cue I’m comfortable with, which I haven’t yet been able to do.
‘I’d love to be back playing. I really, really would. Pulling out of tournaments ain’t good for me. It’s not what I want to be doing. I want to be out there competing.
‘The last three or four weeks I’ve been practising a hell of a lot. But at the start of the season I was getting scared to go near the practice table and getting scared to get my cue out of my case.
‘I got to the end of my tether with my game. Now I’m just focusing on getting that fixed because if I don’t get that fixed, there are no ournaments.’
‘Couldn’t keep going on’ – Ronnie O’Sullivan undecided on playing Snooker World Championship and is ‘SCARED’ to practise
O’Sullivan admitted he still hasn’t found a cue after snapping his previous one
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN admits he has felt “scared” to go near a practice or match table during his enforced snooker break.
In an exclusive SunSport interview, the Rocket, 49, remains undecided if he will play at this month’s World Snooker Championship, which starts on April 19.
The decision to appear at the Crucible will hinge on THREE key practice sessions the days before the action starts in Sheffield on Easter Saturday.
He regrets his meltdown in January when he snapped his cue in anger at a low-key event in Leicester – and he is struggling to find a suitable replacement.
O’Sullivan, who has pulled out of FIVE tournaments in 2025, said: “I’ll make a decision when I feel like I’m ready to make a decision. That will be it.
“I know I have nothing to prove. But I was getting to the point where I was scared to even go near a table.
“Not even the match table, just a practice table. And that has been going on for a long time.
“I tried to play through it. I tried and I tried and I tried. I was getting no enjoyment out of it.
“Even that season when I won five tournaments, it was just hard. I couldn’t keep going on struggling.
“At some point you’ve got to try and enjoy the game. I can only enjoy it if I’m playing half decent.”
O’Sullivan – currently ranked fourth in the Worlds seeding pot – will play another pro over three days and how he feels then will influence his decision whether to appear at the Crucible for a 33rd consecutive year.
The seven-time world champion said: “I’ve got practice sessions booked up on the 14th, 15th and 16th.
“I’ll make a decision after those three good sparring sessions that I have arranged.
“Until then, I’ll be working as hard as I can to try and figure out the problem.
“It’s hard. It’s really hard. I never thought I’d be in this situation where I didn’t feel like I’d have the confidence to go and play to be honest with you.”
A race against time is on to locate the cue that will make him competitive over 17 gruelling days of action in South Yorkshire.
At the start of this year, after he lost 3-2 to Chris Wakelin at the behind-closed-doors event Championship League, O’Sullivan took his equipment and broke it in half – and then stuffed it in the bin!
His pal Robbie retrieved the cue and O’Sullivan laughed: “Unrepairable. It’s a bit of memorabilia now. It’ll be getting sold off.
“I literally don’t have a cue. I still haven’t found one that I’m comfortable with. Still just trying out different ones. Trying to find one that I like.
“I’ve probably changed my cue maybe four, five times. On two or three occasions, I found one straightaway.
“On the other two occasions, it has taken me sometimes a year to find one.
“I do regret it really. Because it was my cue. It’s hard to find another one.
“What happened was just coming. I have done it before. And it’s not the game, it’s me really.
“I’ve just been struggling for so long now. I just couldn’t do it anymore to be honest with you. I couldn’t. And I’m still struggling now to be honest.”
O’Sullivan, who turns 50 this year, has pulled out of the Masters, German Masters, Welsh Open and World Grand Prix, citing “medical grounds”.
The long-term snooker expert for TNT Sports insists the issues are with his technique and are affecting his ability to strike the ball straight.
He said: “It got to the point where I was struggling with the game. I always call it snooker depression.
“Call it stage fright. Call it whatever you like. It starts to affect you mentally.
“Listen, that’s why I snapped my cue, I just couldn’t take it anymore.
“I don’t want to put myself in a situation where I feel like that could happen again.
“I need to find the love for the game, to find that passion.
“I’m not bothered about winning and losing. I never have been.
“I’ve always been more, ‘Where’s my game at?’ If my game is alright, then cool.
“If it’s terrible, I can leave that for one, two, three, four months. But I can’t live for three, four years of struggling and just grinding it out.
“It was just no fun to be honest with you. I’m trying to unravel it.
“If you’d asked me the question, ‘Do you think I’ll ever get to a point where I feel comfortable enough to go and play?‘
“Well, the answer two days ago would have been probably ‘maybe’. If you ask me today, after the last two practice sessions, I’d say absolutely not.
Gary Filtness is someone Ronnie has a lot of respect for. That’s no guarantee of success but it certainly helps. At least we now know where things stand. Also, Ronnie had spoken about going to Riyadh, end of next week to work with Nigel Bond. Nigel is also someone he trusts and an excellent coach. Fingers crossed something positive comes out of this!
But he’s been a lso beenworking with Lee Walker recently
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s coach reveals ‘hope’ ahead of World Snooker Championship decision
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s coach, Lee Walker, opens up about working with the seven-time world champion as fans wait to see if the Rocket will take part at the Crucible
By Mark Whiley Sports Reporter
It remains to be seen whether Ronnie O’Sullivan will play at the World Championship(Image: Getty)
Snooker coach Lee Walker has lifted the lid on working with Ronnie O’Sullivan as the Rocket ponders whether to play at the World Championship. Three years after going level with Stephen Hendry on seven world titles, it remains to be seen if the Rocket will show up for the 2025 showpiece, which begins on April 19.
O’Sullivan briefly returned to action in January at the low-key Championship League, only to smash his cue in frustration and withdraw before his final group match. He promptly withdrew from the Masters, where he was due to defend the title, and a series of other tournaments.
The 49-year-old is on the official entry list for the Crucible, but it remains anyone’s guess as to whether he will take part. Unhappy with his game, perfectionist O’Sullivan enlisted the help of Mark Williams’ long-time coach, Walker, earlier this season. That relationship is still ongoing as fans await the Rocket’s Crucible call with bated breath.
“We’re still working together but he’s taking a bit of a break at the moment,” said Walker in mid-March in an interview for Reach’s World Championship preview publication.
“We’ll just wait and see whether he comes back and plays at the World Championship. Hopefully, if he does play in the World Championship, he can feel a bit better and get back to doing what he does best, which is potting balls.”
O’Sullivan hasn’t played competitive snooker since January(Image: Getty)
While Walker has had just a handful of sessions with O’Sullivan so far, he described them as “incredible” experiences.
“It’s different to Mark because we’re very good friends and have practised together for years. I know what I’m seeing there,” explained Walker, a former World Seniors champion.
“I’ve played Ronnie a couple of times but had not actually seen what he does close up. I’ve had four or five sessions with him, and I enjoyed every one.
“He was first-class with me in every session we did. To see a player like that up close, everybody can learn different things from watching him.”
Williams had no issues with Walker linking up with one of his great rivals. Walker revealed: “He told me to do it. He basically said, ‘When a player like Ronnie asks you, there’s only one answer’.”
While O’Sullivan’s immediate future is uncertain, Walker insists it would be foolish to write him and fellow ‘Class of 92’ members Williams and John Higgins off.
“If he [O’Sullivan] never plays again or never wins another tournament, he’ll still go down as the greatest player who’s ever played the game,” said Walker. “This is what separates the likes of Ronnie, Mark and John from most other players.“
John has just won again [at the World Open] after a few years of not winning. People said he’d never win another tournament but you can never write these guys off. They’re just incredible.
“I’m sure Ronnie will eventually want to get back to it. I think everyone, firstly, wants to see him feeling good and then getting back to what he does best.”
I had just seen that same interview myself.
I’m not sure what to make of all this.
It’s obvious that Ronnie is truly struggling with his mental health at the moment and probably isn’t really fit to play. It’s not the first time it happens. Of course, we don’t know if the state of his snooker is the only thing weighting on his mind. Because a person, like Ronnie, is a “public figure” doesn’t mean the “public” has any right to know what’s going on in their private life and nobody knows what’s going on in other people’s life unless they share their concerns, fears or sorrows. Also, Ronnie has previous with depression. His documentary was very revealing in that regard. We just have to accept that it is what it is – as he would put it himself – and hope for the best.
Draw And Schedule Confirmed For Sportsbet.io Tour Championship
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The opening afternoon sees Johnstone’s Paint Masters Champion Shaun Murphy kick off the event against one of the season’s most consistent performers, Barry Hawkins. The winner of that match will face off against world number one Judd Trump, who begins his campaign on Wednesday April 2nd at 1pm.
The top 12 on the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year Rankings have earned a place in Manchester. The top four seeds go straight into the quarter-finals, while the other eight players start a round earlier. The schedule is:
Monday 31st March 1pm Shaun Murphy v Barry Hawkins first session Xiao Guodong v Wu Yize first session
7pm Shaun Murphy v Barry Hawkins concluding session Mark Williams v Ding Junhui first session
Tuesday 1st April 1pm Mark Selby v Si Jiahui first session Xiao Guodong v Wu Yize concluding session
7pm Mark Selby v Si Jiahui concluding session Mark Williams v Ding Junhui concluding session
Wednesday 2nd April 1pm Judd Trump v Murphy or Hawkins first session John Higgins v Xiao or Wu first session
7pm Judd Trump v Murphy or Hawkins concluding session Neil Robertson v Selby or Si first session
Thursday 3rd April 1pm John Higgins v Xiao or Wu concluding session Kyren Wilson v Williams or Ding first session
7pm Neil Robertson v Selby or Si concluding session Kyren Wilson v Williams or Ding concluding session
Friday 4th April 1pm Semi-final first session
7pm Semi-final concluding session
Saturday 5th April 1pm Semi-final first session
7pm Semi-final concluding session
Sunday 6th April 1pm Final first session
7pm Final concluding session
You will also find the draw and everything you need on snooker.org
There is only one player in the field who, as it currently stands, will need to qualify for the Crucible: Wu Yize. Wu needs to reach the semi-finals to climb ahead of Jak Jones currently seeded 16th. It’s quite baffling that being runner-up last year may not be enough to guarantee Jak Jones automatic qualification but that’s how it is.
One Ronnie O’Sullivan record labelled ‘ridiculous and obscene’ by snooker rival
Phil HaighPublished March 24, 2025
Shaun Murphy is blown away by Ronnie O’Sullivan’s Triple Crown record, labelling his total of 23 as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘obscene’.
The Rocket has won more of snooker’s majors than any other player in history, with seven World Championships, eight Masters and and eight UK Championships to his name.
He has long since broken Stephen Hendry’s previous record of 18, with the Scot having landed seven World Championships, six Masters and five UK Championships.
The only other player to make it into double figures was Steve Davis, who won 15 Triple Crowns, with the next in line being John Higgins and Mark Selby on nine each.
Murphy himself has completed the Triple Crown and won his fourth major title at the Masters this season, an amazing achievement, but one that has been dwarfed by the Rocket.
The Magician was asked on his onefourseven podcast what is more likely, for him to reach two of each Triple Crowns, or O’Sullivan to make it to eight of each and he took a moment to consider how mammoth the Rocket’s achievement is.
‘When you just look at the numbers in that question. He needs a world title to make it 8-8-8, it’s ridiculous,’ said Murphy.
‘I’ve worked my nuts off to win my four and he’s got 23. It’s obscene.’
O’Sullivan has said in the past that he is not sure anyone will beat his tally of Triple Crown titles.
‘Someone’s going to have to do phenomenally well to get my records,’ he said ahead of last year’s World Championship. ‘It’s going to be hard to catch those records now. My ranking events is beatable. But the major titles – UKs, Masters and Worlds – that will be hard to get to.
‘I’m pretty cool with what I’ve done, but I’d like to win more though.’
On the question of whether O’Sullivan will make it to 8-8-8 or Murphy reach 2-2-2, the Magician sounded like he was leaning towards the Rocket, but ultimately plumped for himself.
‘I suppose the fact that Ronnie only needs one to complete the set. And will I win anything else? Let’s not assume anything,’ he said.
‘It took me 10 years to win a second Masters, I’ve never won a second World Championship and I haven’t won a second UK Championship.’
He added: ‘I’m going to back myself, I think me getting 2-2-2 is possibly more likely. I was going to say “with what we’ve seen from Ronnie in the last few months” but we haven’t seen him have we. Will we see him?’
Murphy is referring to O’Sullivan’s prolonged absence from professional competition, which has seen him out of action since January when he smashed his cue at the Championship League.
He has pulled out of a string of events including the Masters at Alexandra Palace and World Grand Prix in Hong Kong, with doubts over whether he will now play at the World Championship.
The 49-year-old has never missed a trip to the Crucible since his debut in 1993, but there is a possibility that could change next month.
Murphy said of the situation: ‘I don’t want to stray into the mental health and what he’s got going on in his personal life. What he may or may not have going on, I don’t want to go into that, it’s none of my business.
‘But from a technical point of view, last time out he smashed his cue up, you don’t get another cue and you don’t get used to another cue overnight. I’m sure he’ll only play if he’s ready to play, on and off the table.’
That possibility is very real and it would be a shame if Ronnie isn’t there but, as Shaun said, we don’t know what’s going on in his live.
Me, I just want him to be well and happy. He has nothing to prove, he has given a lot to his sport, more than any other player, even at times when he was struggling badly. His Netflix documentary was hard to watch at times, heartbreaking even. What will be, will be. We can only hope for the best, for him in the first place and for the fans too. We have to accept that nothing and no one goes on forever. There are plenty of great players in snooker currently and the global level has probably never been better. The show WILL go on.
Xiao Guodong beat David Gilbert 3-2 in an exciting finish to the final of Group Seven of BetVictor Championship League Snooker Invitational to become the seventh and last player into the Winners’ Group.
China’s Xiao, who landed his first ranking title earlier this season at the Wuhan Open, will return on February 4th and 5th for the Winners’ Group, alongside Judd Trump, Hossein Vafaei, Si Jiahui, Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby and Matthew Selt, when the title and a place in the 2025 Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions will be up for grabs.
Ricky Walden finished top of the group phase on Saturday with five wins out of five, but then suffered 3-2 reverse against Gilbert, who made a break of 135 in the deciding frame. Xiao, who finished second in the group table, beat Noppon Saengkham 3-0 in the semis without conceding a single point, scoring runs of 75, 100 and 123.
In the final, Xiao led 1-0 and 2-1 but Gilbert, who earlier made a 147 during the group phase, battled back to 2-2 with a 101 in frame four. Xiao was on 59 in the decider when he missed the penultimate red, and Gilbert had a chance to clear, but a tricky pot on the last red to a centre pocket hit the far jaw, and that proved his last shot.
Judd Trump calls for German Masters changes ahead of bid for fourth title
Phil Haigh
Judd Trump is defending his German Masters title next week (Picture: Getty Images)
Judd Trump has hailed the German Masters as a top three event on the calendar, calling for the tournament to increase in stature to match its reputation.
The ranking event at the Tempodrom in Berlin is one of the highlights of the snooker season, played in the unique arena in front of a lively German crowd.
Trump is a three-time German Masters champion and will be in Berlin next week looking to defend his title in an event he looks forward to more than most.
In fact, the world number one rates the atmosphere as close to the likes of the Crucible and Alexandra Palace.
‘Berlin is probably third place in terms of the crowd interaction and how good the crowds are, especially when you get to that final weekend and how passionate they are,’ Trump told Metro.
‘The crowds in Berlin and the noise when you come into the final is very close to, or on a par with, the Masters.
‘I think those two are out there on their own in terms of how good you feel when you play on the final weekend.’
Trump beat Si Jiahui in the Berlin final last year (Picture: Getty Images)
Trump is a big fan of his annual trip to Germany, but would like to see the event having even more prominence on the calendar given how highly he rates the experience of playing in Berlin.
Players tend to judge how big events are based on prize money and there has been a boost to the prize fund at the German Masters this year, with the winner leaving with £100,000, up from last year’s £80,000.
However, that leaves the event level with the Home Nations and Trump thinks it deserves to be much bigger than the likes of the English Open in Brentwood.
‘I’d like to have seen it grow somehow,’ he said. ‘I think the tournament deserves to be bigger than it is.
‘I don’t think it should be on a par with some of the other events like the Home Nations, although Northern Ireland is the exception.
‘I think Germany should be up there, just behind the UK [Championship], but it’s not really gone anywhere, it’s stagnated a little bit. There should be a few changes to make a bit bigger than it is because the crowd over there deserve it.
‘It’s a little bit disappointing because I feel like they could even hold the Tour Championship or something over there. The crowd deserve something bigger. Its excellent to have a tournament there, but the fans deserve a bigger, more prestigious event.’
Trump is having a fantastic season so far (Picture: Getty Images)
Trump himself has made big changes to his life this season, leaving his Bristol base to split most of his time between Dubai and Hong Kong.
‘My practice tables are getting taken out next week so it’s pretty permanent now,’ he said. ‘My main base will be in Dubai but my girlfriend lives in Hong Kong. I have residence in both Dubai and Hong Kong so I’ll be split between them depending where the tournaments are.
‘It’s very different, completely different from what I’m used to. I’m used to my old life of just going to practice and then sitting at home all night, every day.
‘Now there’s a lot more opportunities to do different things. It’s a more outdoorsy lifestyle, living in those different places, a lot more time after snooker to spend in the sun, or go to the beach or whatever. It’s a bit better and more inspiring than being in the miserable weather for months.’
Trump’s girlfriend is well-known figure skater from Hong Kong Maisy Ma, who he says is understanding of his globe-trotting lifestyle in the public eye.
‘She’s used to being in the limelight herself, she still does TV work,’ he said. ‘It’s a good balance because she knows what I’m going through, I think that helps as well.’
The world number one is having another great season, with big wins at the UK Championship, Saudi Arabia Masters and Shanghai Masters, while he is enjoying his more glamorous lifestyle, making him even more dangerous on the table.
‘When you’re winning it’s a lot easier to be happy,’ he said. ‘When you’re travelling around and you fancy your chances of winning every event, you’re not dreading going to venues. It definitely helps.
‘Where I’m living as well, it makes it easier to accept defeat. It’s easier to travel back to that. You’re in a bit of a bubble for the first few years when you make changes in your life or new things happen, you’re a lot happier when you lose to go home.
‘It couldn’t be going much better and it helps on the table because I’m trying my best but it’s not the end of the world if I do lose. I think that helps me play my best and be more relaxed when I’m out there.’
Judd Trump is absolutely spot on in this interview. The German fans, and, in general, the mainland Europe fans deserve better. He’s also right in stressing how much happiness in your private life helps succeeding in your professional life. Britain, I’m afraid, is not the best place to live in, especially post-Brexit Britain… unless you are very rich probably. I have been traveling to Britain regularly since 2009 and I can see the difference. There is more poverty, more alcoholism and more insecurity now than 15 years ago. But, even without putting the economical aspect into the equation, the weather is a huge factor1. It is well documented how lack of natural light, and sun, during the winter months affects our mood and and general well-being negatively.
It is the same in Belgium as well of course, and in northern Europe in general. That’s why I chose to live in my husband’s country, Greece, and I feel much better for it. ↩︎
Shaun Murphy won his first Triple Crown title for a decade with a tremendous 10-7 victory over Kyren Wilson in the final of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters at Alexandra Palace.
Wilson threatened a fight-back when he came from 8-4 down to 8-7, but Murphy retained his composure and took the last two frames with a brace of excellent breaks. Across the match he made four centuries and four more runs over 50.
Age 42, Murphy admits he feared his time of winning the sport’s biggest titles had passed, but he has regained that self-belief and played his best snooker this week in London. Having won the World Championship in 2005, UK Championship in 2008 and Masters in 2015, he now has four Triple Crown victories to his name.
His reward includes the £350,000 top prize, the biggest pay-day of his 27-year career, but far more important to Murphy is the glory of lifting the Paul Hunter Trophy on the 50th birthday of this historic event. He becomes only the 12th player to win the Masters on multiple occasions.
The Englishman was outstanding throughout the tournament, conceding just eight frames in three matches to reach the final, and making a total of seven centuries including his marvellous 147 during the semi-finals. For a player who relies so much on confidence, it was a week when his game clicked and he made potting balls look as easy as shelling peas.
World number seven Murphy will hope to continue that momentum into the rest of the season, as he remains in danger of dropping out of the top 16 and having to qualify for the Crucible. But one thing is for sure – he’ll be back at Alexandra Palace next year as number one seed.
Wilson had hoped to win the Masters for the first time but has now lost two finals as he was also runner-up to Mark Allen in 2018. Having conquered the Crucible last May he is enjoying a fine season as World Champion, winning the Xi’an Grand Prix and BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, but the 33-year-old from Kettering will be devastated not to bring his best today on a huge occasion.
Trailing 6-2 after the first session, Wilson took the opening frame tonight with breaks of 48 and 44 to narrow the gap. Murphy responded with a 125, his third century of the match, before Wilson’s 95 made it 7-4. The key moment of the crucial 12th frame came when Wilson, among the balls leading 14-9, missed a tricky black to a centre pocket, gifting Murphy the opportunity to make 66 to lead 8-4 at the interval.
Murphy scored just one point in the next three frames as Wilson battled back, scoring top breaks of 78 and 65 as he closed to 8-7. Early in frame 16, Wilson went full-blooded for a tough long red and missed the target, scattering reds and leaving Murphy the table to make 55 which proved enough to leave him two up with three to play. And he sealed the result in style with a break of 100 to wrap up a ninth win over Wilson in 12 meetings and win his first title since the 2023 Championship League.
“It’s totally unbelievable, I’m in shock,” said Murphy. “I genuinely thought that my days of competing for these Triple Crown events had gone. There were too many bad losses, you start seeing demons in the pockets. The loss in the world final in 2015 really hurt me, and the one in 2021 also took it out of me.
“I’ve been working with Peter Ebdon and that’s what has saved me because I was in a spiral of negativity. The first thing he wanted to do was restore my belief that I can actually do this. Three events in and we are winners. I came here having worked very hard on my game, in a really good frame of mind. To make the 147 yesterday completed a lifetime ambition. And now to be here with the trophy, it’s one of the best days of my life.
“Peter and I have worked on the mental side. Everyone knows how tough he was. I felt I had gone a bit soft and he agreed. That’s what we have worked on, to be more steely, more granite, to give them nothing and to play my attacking game when I get the chance.
“This reignites my hopes of winning the World Championship again. I have proved to myself I can still win these big ones, so I’ll go to the Crucible knowing I can do it.
“From 8-4 tonight I expected Kyren to come for me because it’s not in a World Champion’s DNA to give up. I wouldn’t have liked to go 8-8 because it was getting twitchy.”
Wilson said: “I gave Shaun too much of a head start. Perhaps there was a bit of fatigue after a late finish last night. Shaun used his experience. I’m proud that I managed to dig in deep. I still fancied it at 6-2 and 8-4. If the long red had gone in at 8-7 the balls were mine to clear up. I’m not a player who is going to play dolly shots, I went all-out and got aggressive. My game is in fantastic shape, being World Champion has inspired me and I’d like to think there are many more trophies to come. I’ll be in Berlin next trying to win that one.“
It’s a shame for Kyren that he had a “bad session” in the final. Every player has them once in a while, they are human, but when it happens in a major final it’s really unfortunate, for the player and for the fans who probably prefer to watch a close battle, not to mention his kids who were around wearing little waistcoats similar to the one their father had been wearing in his previous matches. But Kyren showed what a fighter he is and he should be proud of himself, and of the way he represents his sport as a World Champion
Clearly, working with Peter Ebdon has helped Shaun. I believe that no matter how hard Ebdon could try, he would never be able to get Shaun “grinding” for hours. Hopefully he sticks to snooker and refrains from planting silly ideas in Shaun’s mind …
Ding Junhui came from 5-4 down to beat Mark Williams 6-5 in the opening round of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters, boosting his hopes of doubling his tally of titles in snooker’s biggest invitation event.
The result means that, for the first time since 2011, none of the ‘Class of 92’ of Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Williams are in the line up for the quarter-final stages. In that year, Ding went all the way to the title, and the Chinese ace will hope that’s a good omen. The 37-year-old certainly had his fair share of good fortune today, enjoying a string of lucky moments in the closing stages of an exciting contest.
It’s the second match already this year to go to a deciding frame, and Ding finished in style by taking it in one visit. He already has a huge title under his belt this season having won the International Championship in November and can now look forward to a meeting with Judd Trump or Barry Hawkins at Alexandra Palace on Friday.
After sharing the first two frames, Williams led 41-7 in the third when he mid-cued, attempting blue to centre, and Ding punished him with 69 to go ahead. Williams responded with breaks of 57 and 70 to go 3-2 up, then Ding made 64 and 60 to edge ahead at 4-3.
A tremendous 136 total clearance, the new front-runner for the £15,000 high break prize, gave Williams frame eight. Ding looked set to go 5-4 up until he missed a straight-forward black at 66-0 in the ninth, and Williams eventually cleared from the last red to black to pinch it by a single point.
In the last two frames, Ding missed three attempts at difficult reds, but each time was lucky not to leave his opponent a clear chance. Williams twice attempted awkward reds to a centre pocket, but couldn’t find the target and Ding capitalised with breaks of 76 and 90 to reach the second round for the eighth time in all and first since 2019.
Williams turns 50 in just two months and victory today would have made him the oldest winner of a match at the Masters since a 56-year-old Eddie Charlton in 1986. The Welshman said: “Ding had a hell of a run of the ball, especially in the last two frames when he could have left me in. I lost count of the number of times he held his hand up to say ‘sorry’, it must have been ten or 11 times. Those are the fine margins. I have had plenty of run in my time, that’s the game. He still had to make two really good breaks.
“I tried my best. It’s a great venue and the reception when I came in was unbelievable. I loved it, it’s the best venue we play in and I hope I get back next year.“
Ding said: “At 5-4 down, I missed a long red and the balls went everywhere, and I thought maybe today is done. Then I saw a bit of luck, Mark didn’t have an easy one. He had to take a difficult one under pressure, and when he missed I saw my chance was there. It was the same in the last frame. My concentration and confidence was good after the interval, I didn’t think too much about winning or losing.
“I still want to be the best I have ever been. I’ve been watching videos of myself when I was young and I am trying to get that feeling back. I used to just pot the balls without thinking too much, just playing the shots very clearly. I still struggle sometimes but I am feeling better than before.“
Mark Selby hasn’t reached the semi-finals at Alexandra Palace since 2014 but on today’s evidence he is among the favourites for the Johnstone’s Paint Masters title as he romped to a 6-1 victory over Ali Carter in the opening round.
Selby looked close to his best last week at the BetVictor Championship League, notably making six centuries in a single day. And he carried that momentum into tonight as he outplayed Carter, rattling in two tons and three more breaks over 50. The Leicester cueman’s reward is a quarter-final meeting with Mark Allen or Si Jiahui on Thursday.
World number five Selby had a tremendous record at the Masters between 2008 and 2014, winning it three times and reaching two further finals. Since then it has been slim pickings in London as he has failed to go beyond the quarter-finals. Selby, winner of the British Open in September, will be quietly confident of a deep run this time as he seeks to become the only player other than Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry to lift the trophy for a fourth occasion.
He took the opening frame tonight with a break of 62, and added the 41-minute second by getting the better of a safety exchange on the final brown. Stepping up a gear, Selby fired breaks of 108 and 93 to lead 4-0 at the interval.
In frame five, Carter led by 62 points with four reds left when he failed to double a red to centre, and his tenacious opponent battled back and gained the snooker he required, then could have forced a respotted black but failed to pot the blue along the top cushion, allowing a relieved Carter to pull one back. But Selby regained the initiative with a 126 for 5-1, and he made an excellent 53 clearance in frame seven to settle the result.
“I felt a bit edgy at the start but winning the second frame was huge, if Ali had gone 1-1 it could have been very different,” said Selby. “I kicked on after that and felt comfortable. It’s always great playing in front of a full house here and it gives you motivation.
“My only concern was not getting in my own way and freezing, which I do sometimes. That’s something I am trying to work on. I enjoyed it and felt I was zoned in and focused. I have been there and done it in this event which will stand me in good stead if I get to the business end.“
Carter said simply: “Mark was very good and I was absolute rubbish. He strangles you and zaps you of confidence. I just wanted to get out of there in the end.“
Neither Willo nor Ding played really well. Maybe they were still a bit tired from their Tibetan adventure. The match was very eventful with all sorts happening at the table. It was certainly entertaining albeit not of the highest quality despite some big breaks from both.
In the evening, it was the complete opposite. Mark Selby delivered a master class. If he can keep that level, he will probably win the tournament. Ali had no answers and, although he continued to apply himself, it was plainly evident that he was frustrated and, after the MSI, had given up hope and didn’t want to be there.
Ronnie was in the studio in the evening and gave an update about his own state of mind. He’s OK. He explained that by Sunday he was feeling OK to play, but had not wanted to delay making his decision in order to give whoever would replace him enough time to prepare. That was the right thing to do indeed. All things considered, he looked settled and thinking clearly. It’ reassuring.
Ronnie O’Sullivan ‘lost the plot’ as he explains Masters withdrawal and gives update on future
Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from the Masters on the eve of the tournament with snooker fans and his fellow pros concerned about the seven-time world champion
Image PA
Ronnie O’Sullivan has explained his decision to withdraw from the Masters – and insists he WILL be back on the baize.
Snooker icon O’Sullivan was due to defend his title at Alexandra Palace with his first-round match against John Higgins slated to get the tournament underway on Sunday. But he unexpectedly pulled out after snapping his cue following a defeat by Robert Milkins in the Championship League on Thursday.
O’Sullivan has had well-documented mental health issues in the past, and there were concerns for his wellbeing from fans and fellow pros alike. But the seven-time world champion insists he is OK and will return to the sport.
“I’m alright, not too bad,” he said while working for Eurosport on Monday evening. “It was a nightmare decision really to make, if you’d have asked me Sunday if I was ready to play I’d probably have been ok to play. But it’s such a massive tournament.
“I’d been on a three-week trip away playing and I just think I exhausted myself, a lot of pressure while I was away. The build-up of all that just got a bit too much really.
“I lost the plot on Thursday, snapped my cue, so that’s unplayable, so I knew at that moment in time the right decision was to not play and such a big tournament that I thought whoever was to come in should have had at least a couple of days notice.”
Neil Robertson was the man to take O’Sullivan’s place, and he staged a miraculous comeback from 5-1 down to pip Higgins 6-5 and advance to the quarter-finals.
I just knew at that moment in time, the right decision was to not play” .
On his cue, the Rocket added: “It was in the bin, one of them wheelie bins, but my mate said we can’t leave that here, so he got it out and brought it with us.”I’ve got a couple of other cues that I can start practicing with because there’s some tournaments coming up. I’m going to continue to play so I need to get used to the cue now.”
In words O’Sullivan fans will be relieved to hear, the 49-year-old even talked of a return to Ally Pally next year and still harbours aspirations of lifting a ninth Masters title.
“This is an unbelievable tournament, top 16, best players in the world, amazing crowd, I’ve won this tournament many times, been in 14 finals,” he said. “I’d love to come here and play again and hopefully be lucky enough to win the trophy again, that would be great.
After the evening match, in the studio, Mark and Ronnie had a very interesting and honest discussion about mental health
In the news there is also suggestion that Ronnie “faces” a lawsuit … This is misleading as I explained in this previous post.
When snooker’s greatest ever player eventually decides to put his cue away for good, his legacy will not just be his record number of titles and his unique relationship with fans worldwide, but also his willingness to pass on his knowledge and experience to younger players.
In recent years, Ronnie O’Sullivan has been generous with his time and willingness to offer advice to players who have asked him to help fulfill their talent.
Judd Trump benefited from O’Sullivan’s influence when they worked together in Romford during the early years of the younger man’s career. During their emotional embrace at the end of the 2022 World Championship final, Trump told the newly-crowned seven-time Crucible king: “Thank you for letting me practise with you. You took your time out for me and I really appreciate that. You’ve always taken care of me. The dedication, everything that you’ve put in, you deserve everything.”
In October this year, O’Sullivan was in Riyadh to open the new Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy, where he will play a role in nurturing the best young talent from Saudi Arabia. Ahead of that launch, we asked the 49-year-old about his coaching philosophy and his lifelong emphasis on hard work.
Ronnie, how exciting is it to be involved with the new academy in Riyadh?
It’s great to be part of it and to see what the development is like, and to help nurture the talent. Nigel Bond will be the head coach and he is perfect for that job. It won’t be easy for the local players to get to the standard of tour players, but if someone has the talent and the willingness then it can be done. Academies are so important in any sport, you can see that in Kenya for running, the USA for golf and tennis or football in France where the likes of Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe came through. It’s about being in the right environment with access to the best coaching as well as advice and nutrition.
How important is it for young snooker players to be coached from an early age?
Some players are blessed, like John Higgins. From the minute they pick up the cue, they are natural. Others need guidance. I don’t believe in over-coaching, because instinct is important. You have to allow a player to grow his own game and let his personality come through. But you do need someone to keep you on the right track.
How much coaching did you have when you started playing?
I didn’t have a coach but I watched a lot of Steve Davis videos and you can learn a lot from that. Not everyone can be a Jimmy White or Stephen Hendry, but anyone can be like Davis, John Higgins or me. If you can learn good fundamentals and get them right, you can become very consistent because it’s a repetitive sport. You can’t follow anyone better than Davis, no one comes anyone near him for doing all the right things. He didn’t coach me personally, but I watched everything he did. His tempo, the way he hit the ball, the way he played safe, his ability to keep still on every shot…he was incredible.
During your career you have often worked with coaches, notably Frank Adamson and Ray Reardon. Have you always wanted to learn more?
Everyone in every sport has to learn. People say I’m gifted, but I wasn’t the most gifted junior or amateur. I always had to work hard at my game. I was never a good safety player or potter, or not as good as some of the others who were playing at the time. I was always good at scoring, that was my thing. But I had to learn the other stuff. I didn’t have a good temperament, I still don’t deal with bad spells that well.
When you said you don’t believe in over coaching, do you mean that you have to give a player space to make the most of natural flair?
Yes. As a junior I saw very natural payers going to certain coaches and then become stiff and methodical, losing the ability to play at a high pace. Steady, slow and methodical doesn’t often get you anywhere. It might win you a few matches, but if you want to be a real winner you have to play at speed, in any sport. You have to be clinical, but speed is a big weapon. You can’t over-think this game. To play as quickly as you can without being careless is the goal.
In the latter part of your career, you’ve been generous with younger players and willing to give advice. Do you enjoy helping them?
If someone asks you for help it’s hard to say no. Victoria, who runs one of the academies in Sheffield, is passionate about her players and wanted them to do well. She asked me, and I always want to help if I can. I don’t see at as giving secrets away because there is no secret really, it’s just hard work and determination. It’s nice to try to pass on knowledge in any sport. In athletics, the Kenyan runners don’t keep it to themselves, they see sharing as a good thing.
Judd Trump is one such player you helped. When you first saw him play, did you see something of yourself in him?
He has amazing talent, he didn’t need to learn from me. But being in that environment when we practised at the same club in Romford helped him because he saw how hard I worked. A lot of people think it’s just talent, but if you ask players who have spent time with me, they are surprised at how dedicated I am and how seriously I take practice. When I was young I saw Stephen Hendry practise and realised he was the hardest worker on the tour. It’s true in any sport. That’s why they are the best, because they are willing to put the work in.
How much satisfaction does it give you when you see an improvement in a player you have given guidance to?
There was a player who is super talented and he’d had some success. He asked if I could help him. I had watched a few of his games and had the feeling that something wasn’t quite right but I couldn’t put my finger on it. We got on the practice table and I showed him a few things and he said he understood it. It was nice to see him develop as a player, that was a good feeling.
In your book Unbreakable you describe your obsession with practice and the technical side of the game. Have you always had that fascination?
I never used to as a kid, that was my biggest downfall, it held me back and made my career tougher than it needed to be. I got into bad habits when I was 16 or 17 and it got worse and worse That’s why I had to go and see Frank Adamson. I knew I wasn’t going to win the World Championship, I was good one day, terrible next, when in this game you need consistency. Frank had to deconstruct my game, take it apart. Within the first year I managed to win the world title – not by playing better, but just by being a bit more consistent.
So much for those who say Ronnie doesn’t care about his sport and its future. He’s not Mr Perfect. He has his ups and downs, violent mood swings that, at times, are difficult to cope with. But over the last 32 years and a half, he has given plenty to the sport, countless magical moments and even more talking points. He’s kept snooker in the news. It was not always for the good reasons but nothing is worse for a sport than to be “invisible”. And he has been giving to his sport away from the spotlights as well. He’s been helping other players, talented youth he certainly knew could become dangerous rivals. Judd Trump is the prime example.
Yes, he has set limits. Yes, he has done it his own way … but if you are in his position and you try to please everyone you will soon find it impossible and overwhelming. So many people want a piece of him at events, and even away from events … sponsors, media, aspiring players, fans … you name it.
It’s nice to see WST giving recognition to that side of him.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 