Stan the Sensation: 18-Year-Old Moody Stuns Hawkins with Flawless 5-0 Rout to Reach Wuhan Quarter-Finals
In a breathtaking display of skill and composure, 18-year-old Stan Moody produced a career-defining performance to whitewash seasoned pro Barry Hawkins 5-0 and book his maiden quarter-final appearance at the Wuhan Open. The young Englishman needed just 57 minutes to dispatch the former World Championship finalist, amassing an incredible 431 unanswered points in a display that had all the hallmarks of a star being born.
Moody’s impressive run in Wuhan had already turned heads. He began with a stunning victory over Chinese snooker icon Ding Junhui before making history by breaking the infamous “Ding Curse” — a streak where 22 consecutive players who defeated Ding had gone on to lose their next match. Moody ended the jinx by seeing off Zhou Yuelong, and his demolition of Hawkins marked a new high.
The match began competitively, with the opening frame poised at 39-39, but a break of 38 gave Moody the early lead. From there, he was unstoppable. Contributions of 108, 87, and 54 followed in quick succession as Hawkins was left scoreless for the remainder of the contest.
“I think that’s the best I’ve ever played,” said Moody afterwards. “I was just in the zone. I don’t know what happened, everything just kept going in. Hopefully, I can keep this form going into the next round.”
Now into the last eight of a ranking event for the first time — after three previous last-16 exits — Moody will face defending champion Xiao Guodong, who overcame Matthew Selt 5-2.
Elsewhere, Welsh legend Mark Williams continued his remarkable career longevity by defeating Mark Selby 5-3 in a high-quality battle. Williams stormed into a 3-0 lead before Selby clawed back to level. But the 26-time ranking event winner dug deep, crafting decisive breaks of 63 and 68 to clinch victory.
Reflecting on the win, Williams said: “At 3-3, Mark looked the stronger, but I was proud of how I finished it off. At 50 years old, still playing these matches against one of the greatest players — I just told myself to enjoy it. I’m loving every moment of this stage in my career.”
