Stan Moody handed world title shot after Ronnie O'Sullivan heaps praise on snooker wonderkid – 'He will win tournaments'
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ByEurosport
Published 14/03/2023 at 10:15 GMT
Stan Moody will make his World Championship debut when he begins his qualifying campaign in Sheffield next month. The world junior champion will join the professional ranks next season, but gets an early shot at the big time when he joins 15 other leading amateur players in competing at the sport's biggest event. Stream the 47th World Championship live and on-demand on discovery+.
‘He’s asking for more, good on him’ - Moody whips up the Shoot Out crowd
World junior champion Stan Moody is set to enjoy an early taste of the snooker big time when he begins his first crack at the Crucible next month.
16-year-old Moody secured his professional tour card for next season with a 5-1 victory over Liam Pullen in the World Snooker Federation junior final before losing 5-0 to China's Ma Hai Long a week later in the senior version, but will continue his development by making his debut in the sport's blue-chip event.
The Halifax wonderkid has been invited to compete at the English Institute of Sport with 15 other leading amateurs as qualifying begins (3-12 April) for the 47th World Championship (LIVE on Eurosport and discovery+).
Moody lost 5-2 to Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Six Red World Championship last week, but the seven-time world champion was impressed with his opponent's temperament.
"Stan is going to be good. He has composure and that’s always a sign," he told reporters. "If they look a little bit vulnerable out there, then you think, can they handle the pressure?
"But he certainly looked really comfortable out there. He just needs some experience. He will win tournaments I’d imagine for sure.”
Moody will be joined in Sheffield by amateur rivals Ma, Pullen, new women's world champion Baipat Siripaporn and Daniel Wells – who beat Judd Trump last month in reaching the Welsh Open last 16 – as the long qualifying path to the Crucible begins.
A minimum of four qualifying rounds have to be negotiated by any amateur to qualify for the last 32 of the sport's biggest tournament which runs from Saturday 15 April until Monday 1 May.
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'What a debut' - 15-year-old Stan Moody makes memorable Snooker Shoot Out debut
“It is always an honour to be able to announce our WPBSA qualifiers who will compete at this year’s World Snooker Championship in Sheffield," said Jason Ferguson, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
“This year’s field contains an exciting array of talent, from some of the most talented juniors in the world.
"These include our WSF champions Hai Long Ma and Stan Moody, as well as vastly experienced former ranking event semi-finalists Martin O’Donnell and Daniel Wells, who throughout a period off tour have demonstrated that they can still compete at the very highest level.
“The strength of these qualifiers reflects the current strength of the amateur game globally and the prestige of each of the qualifying pathways."
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Billy Joe Castle ousts Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Shoot Out
Amateurs competing at World Championship
- Ma Hai Long – 2023 WSF Championship Winner
- Stan Moody – 2023 WSF Junior Championship Winner/2023 WSF Championship Runner-up
- Liam Davies – 2023 WSF Championship Semi-Finalist
- Yang Gao – 2023 WSF Championship Semi-Finalist
- Liam Pullen – 2023 WSF Junior Championship Runner-up
- Iulian Boiko – 2023 WSF Junior Championship Semi-Finalist
- Filips Kalnins – 2023 WSF Junior Championship Semi-Finalist
- Martin O’Donnell – 2023 WPBSA Q Tour Winner
- Liam Graham – 2023 EBSA European Under-21 Championship Winner
- Bulcsú Révész – 2023 EBSA European Under-18 Championship Winner
- Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan – 2023 World Women’s Snooker Champion
- Ross Muir – 2023 WPBSA Q Tour No.2
- Daniel Wells – 2023 WPBSA Q Tour No.3
- Billy Castle – 2023 WPBSA Q Tour No.4
- George Pragnell – 2023 WPBSA Q Tour No.5
- Farakh Ajaib – 2023 WPBSA Q Tour No.6
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