Stirring fightback not enough as Kyren Wilson crashes out of World Open in China
Kyren Wilson is out of the the 2025 Weide Cup World Open in China after losing a topsy-turvy last-32 clash with home player Zhou Yuelong on Tuesday.
The Kettering potter looked to be heading for a second round hammering as he went 4-0 down in the best-of-nine-frames encounter in Yushan.
The reigning world champion didn't get a look in as an on-fire Yuelong compiled breaks of 120, 73, 54 and 109 to take control of the match.
But Wilson, who trains out of Barratts Club in Northampton, launched a stunning fightback.
The 33-year-old hit back hard to draw the match level at 4-4, hitting breaks of 126, 100 and 64 along the way.
That set up a winner-takes-all deciding frame, and although he was pushed hard, it was Yuelong who got over the line with a pressure break of 71 to claim the win and set up a last-16 clash with John Higgins.
"At 4-0 I felt comfortable but then at 4-3 I felt pressure," said world number 31 Yurlong.
"I told myself to forget about the score and I made a good break. John Higgins is my idol, I will enjoy playing him, it will be an honour."
Wilson will be kicking himself as, with world number one Judd Trump also going out to Joe O'Connor, the world number eight Shaun Murphy is the highest-ranked player left in the tournament and will now be favourite for the £175,000 top prize.
Wilson had won his first round match against another Chinese player, Lei Peifan, 5-1. He is next in action on March 4 when he will begin his quest for the 2025 World Snooker Grand Prix title, with the tournament being held in Hong Kong for the first time, at the Kai Tak Arena.
The Kettering ace has been handed a first round clash against world number 33 and fellow Englishman Matthew Selt.
Selt has been in the news this week after he was handed a three-month suspended ban and fined £10,000 for 'rude and aggressive' behaviour at the 2024 Saudi Arabia Masters.
Selt was charged with three breaches of governing body the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) code of conduct at the event in in Riyadh in September.
The 39-year-old angrily conceded defeat against China's Pang Junxu in the fourth round after missing a straightforward pot, losing 5-3.
He was accused of displaying aggressive behaviour and using rude and abusive language towards an executive from promoter Matchroom and a fellow WPBSA member.
The WPBSA said Selt accepted all three charges and has made a 'full and wholehearted apology' to the persons concerned.