Stan Moody reached the quarter-finals of a ranking event for the first time with a stunning 5-0 victory over Barry Hawkins in the Wuhan Open on Wednesday.
The 18 year-old, who many regard as one of the brightest up-and-coming talents in the game at present, emerged triumphantly after just 57 minutes of play.
Not only did Moody beat an established top 16 member and multiple ranking event winner, he did so in style with an impressive run of 431 unanswered points.
It’s another sign that the teenager is on an upward trajectory that could ultimately see him join the highest echelons in the not-too-distant future.
“It’s the best win of my career, I’d say,” world number 61 Stan Moody told the World Snooker Tour after his tremendous display.
“I played very, very well. I was just in the zone. I don’t know what happened to be honest, I just potted everything so hopefully it’s the same in the next game.”
“I thought I’d have a run like this last season, but it just didn’t happen. I wasn’t experienced enough.
“But this season, I’m more relaxed. I’m enjoying playing, competing, and I love the pressure now. I’m just happy.
“I think today was a bit of a freak performance, though. On another day, I don’t get the fluke in one of the frames and I wouldn’t play as well.
“He might have out-experienced me, but today that didn’t happen. I just didn’t give him a chance, and that’s how it goes sometimes.”
Moody, who already beat Ding Junhui in the last 64, first turned professional in 2023 on the back of his success at the WSF Junior Open of the same year.
There was plenty of expectation surrounding his rise onto the main tour, and his progress up until now has been steady but not spectacular.
That could all be set to change in the coming days as he finds himself involved at the business end of a professional competition for the first time.
Moody’s unanswered haul of points to conclude the one-sided contest included breaks of 108, 87, and 54.
“I wasn’t thinking about that at all, I knew I had to pot most of the balls. I just wanted to get over the line to be honest.”
“The red that I missed in the middle, I was disappointed because I thought he was going to clear up for 4-1, 4-2, 4-3 – you start thinking like that.
“But thankfully he missed the red, and I got over the line.
“I put myself under a bit of pressure today to try and go one further [than the last 16], because I think I’ve let it get to me before.
“Thankfully I got through, and hopefully I can go deeper. When you’re out there, you’re desperate to win no matter what match it is.
“Whether you get to a final, a semi, or whatever. But if I play like that, I’ll be hard to stop.”
It doesn’t get any easier for Moody with reigning Wuhan Open champion Xiao Guodong next up in the quarter-finals.
Last year’s winner, who compiled a 147 at the start of the week, had too much for Matthew Selt and ran out a comfortable 5-2 winner.
Mark Williams and Zhang Anda also progressed to the last eight but with harder-fought wins, overcoming Mark Selby and Aaron Hill respectively.
The round of 16 concludes later on Wednesday with the remaining four matches to be played.
World number one Judd Trump – the 2023 Wuhan Open champion – faces Gary Wilson while John Higgins is in action against Tom Ford.
Championship League Snooker winner Stephen Maguire challenges last year’s runner-up Si Jiahui with Mark Allen entertaining Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
2025 Wuhan Open draw
Round of 16 (bo9)
Results
Xiao Guodong 5-2 Matthew Selt
Barry Hawkins 0-5 Stan Moody
Mark Williams 5-3 Mark Selby
Zhang Anda 5-4 Aaron Hill
Wednesday, 12:30pm UTC+1 (BST)
Judd Trump vs Gary Wilson
Tom Ford vs John Higgins
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh vs Mark Allen
Si Jiahui vs Stephen Maguire
Click here to view the full updated draw (snooker.org)
Featured photo credit: WST
