Kyren Wilson crashes out of World Championship as Crucible Curse strikes again

Defending champion Kyren Wilson crashed out on day one of the 2025 World Championship, after a 10-9 defeat by debutant Lei Peifan.

The Warrior, who lifted the trophy in emotional fashion 12 months ago, became the latest first-time winner to fall victim to the “Crucible Curse” in Sheffield.

Wilson, who arrived having won four ranking events this season, was looking to become the first player to successfully defend his maiden World crown at the Crucible, but made a nervy start and allowed his opponent to establish an early 2-0 lead.

However, the world number two settled into his rhythm with breaks of 82, 66, 82 and 136 as he reeled off six frames on the spin.

Lei stopped the rot in the final frame of the morning session, winning a safety battle on the final red before clearing to the pink to reduce his arrears to 6-3.

And it was one-way traffic when play resumed in the evening with contributions of 50, 53, 60, 75 and 89 seeing the Scottish Open champion turn the contest on its head for a 7-6 lead.

Lei then punished a couple of missed opportunities from Wilson with runs of 69 and 92 to move to the brink of a famous victory.

A timely 106 saw the Warrior stop the rot and stay alive, though he appeared on the ropes when the world number 39 compiled 60 in the following frame.

Yet, Lei overcut a thin red to the right corner and Wilson cleared with 45 to pinch on the black, before a break of 60 from 40-10 adrift in the following frame took the contest the distance.

The debutant, who only returned to the tour at the start of this season, beat Shaun Murphy, Stuart Bingham, Tom Ford and Mark Allen in deciding frames on the way to his Edinburgh triumph.

He came up trumps when it mattered most once more following a safety error from Wilson, with a nerveless 66 seeing him over the line.

“It feels amazing,” he told WST. “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.”

“I’m obviously devastated,” Wilson told BBC Sport. “I gave it my all. I just had everything going against me tonight.

“I don’t know what went wrong, but every credit to Lei Peifan. He potted some incredible balls. He’s held himself together incredibly well.

The table let me down a little bit in the decider. I played a couple of slow-rolling safety shots, and it drifted a mile unfortunately.

“I was so nervous this morning. I felt awful, to be honest, I just wanted to get round one out of the way. It’s been very challenging to prepare this year. I sympathise with previous World champions because you take a hit on your preparation.

“I’m gutted, so it feels like the season’s a bit wasted. But we go on and look towards bigger and better things.”

The returning Neil Robertson is also in danger of suffering a premature exit in Sheffield, with the 2010 champion trailing Chris Wakelin 7-2 overnight.

Robertson is back at the Crucible after failing to qualify last year, though his 20th appearance in the main draw looks like it could be short-lived.

Wakelin, who last appeared in Sheffield in 2022, came flying out of the blocks on his own return, with breaks of 108, 70 and 62 opening a 3-1 lead.

This season’s International Championship finalist extended that advantage to 6-1, before Robertson stopped the rot with 100.

Although, the final frame of the session, which lasted 55 minutes and came down to the black, went the way of Wakelin, who needs three more frames for his first ever win at the Crucible.

Meanwhile, Mark Williams won the last two frames of his opening session for a narrow 5-4 overnight lead against Wu Yize.

The three-time World champion – playing without contact lenses amid ongoing eyesight struggles – had runs of 57 and 52 on the way to a 3-0 lead.

But Wu – this season’s English and Scottish Open finalist – came roaring back with breaks of 120, 90, 72 and 136 putting him 4-3 to the good.

Nevertheless, Williams levelled with 78, before edging his nose back in front.

Barry Hawkins – runner-up here in 2013 – is also 5-4 to the good against Hossein Vafaei, who has qualified for the Crucible for a fourth successive year.

Earlier in the day, Xiao Guodong established a healthy 7-2 lead over Matthew Selt, despite the latter hitting breaks of 106 and 131.

Wuhan Open champion Xiao, who is making his first Crucible appearance since 2018, hit breaks of 69, 120, 73, 109 and 57 to close in on only his second main-draw victory at the venue.

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Saturday April 19

Round One

Xiao Guodong (7-2) Matthew Selt
Neil Robertson (2-7) Chris Wakelin
Mark Williams (5-4) Wu Yize
Kyren Wilson 9-10 Lei Peifan
Barry Hawkins (5-4) Hossein Vafaei