Teen Sensation Stan Moody Breaks "Ding Curse" at Wuhan Open

Wuhan, China – Stan Moody, the reigning WSF Junior Champion, has ended the notorious “Ding Curse” at the Wuhan Open with a commanding 5-1 victory over Zhou Yuelong. The win comes just one day after the 18-year-old stunned snooker fans by defeating home favourite Ding Junhui.

The so-called “curse” had seen 22 consecutive players lose their next match immediately after beating Ding, a streak dating back to the 2024 Welsh Open. Moody’s breakthrough marks an end to the unusual pattern.

With breaks of 66, 95, 54, and 81, Moody dominated Zhou Yuelong to secure a place in the last 16. He will now face the winner of the match between Barry Hawkins and Jack Jones. A win there would send him into his first career ranking quarter-final.

“I was aware of the streak,” Moody admitted. “When I led 3-1, I started thinking I might be the one to end it. I’m glad I held my nerve.”

In other action, Mark Selby and Mark Williams both advanced comfortably and will meet in a highly anticipated last-16 clash. Selby scored a 5-2 win over David Gilbert, while Williams eased past Joe O’Connor 5-1.

“Mark is such a clever player. He sees shots so quickly and can turn a frame around in one visit,” said Selby. “I’ll enjoy the challenge.”

Stephen Maguire held off a strong challenge from World Champion Zhao Xintong to win 5-4 in a final-frame thriller. Maguire, who recently won the Championship League, compiled breaks of 58, 71, 92, and 119 before capitalizing on a late error from Zhao to clinch the decider.

“I had a feeling I’d get a chance after his unlucky cannon,” Maguire said. “The crowd was behind him, but I kept focused.”

World No. 1 Judd Trump continued his dominance over Jack Lisowski with a 5-3 victory, extending his winning streak against his compatriot to nine matches. Trump will next face Gary Wilson, who defeated Shaun Murphy 5-3.