THE CRUCIBLE Curse has struck again – as Kyren Wilson became the latest victim.
No first-time winner of the World Snooker Championship in this iconic Sheffield theatre has successfully retained the title.
GettyKyren Wilson was shocked by China’s Lei Peifan[/caption]
PAWilson, 33, became the latest victim of the Crucible curse[/caption]
AlamyLei Peifan recovered from a 6-2 deficit to win[/caption]
Wilson, the best player on the planet this season, had hoped to change that dynamic this year in Sheffield but he crashed out in the first round.
He looked haunted at times as he lost 10-9 to brilliant debutant Lei Peifan, who claimed EIGHT of the last 11 frames of an enthralling contest.
Speaking after his exit was confirmed, Wilson said: Kyren Wilson said: “I’m devastated. Devastated. I gave it my all. I had everything go against me. Every credit to Lei. He potted some incredible shots.
“The table let me down in the decider. I played a couple of slow-rolling safety shots but they drifted a mile.
“In his debut, Lei has held himself together incredibly well and I wish him all the rest for the tournament.
“I was so nervous this morning. I felt awful. I wanted to get round one out of the way. It has been very challenging to prepare for a world championship this year.
“I sympathise with previous world champions. Your preparation takes a hit with a lot of media stuff.
“Im gutted. It feels like the season is a bit of a waste. We go on and look on to bigger and better things.”
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The Warrior is the 20TH man that has been claimed by the Curse as he departed the tournament on the opening day.
For the second year running, after Luca Brecel’s collapse 12 months ago in the same room to David Gilbert, the defending champion has been crushingly dethorned.
Of those 20 casualties, SEVEN have now gone out in round one.
That figure does not include the late Terry Griffiths, who lost his opener in 1980 but he had received a bye into round two.
Lei, 21, enjoyed an outstanding and dominant seven-frame spell in which he barely missed a ball.
He hit six successive half-century breaks – 50, 60, 75, 89, 69 and 92 – while, in contrast, Wilson’s highest break was only 45.
Wilson, 33, made it 9-7 with a peerless 106 and then somehow survived the error of missing the black off its spot in frame 17.
In frame 18, Wilson came from 40-10 down to force the decider but then Lei’s aggressive approach paid off as he won the 19th frame with the entire auditorium watching in silence.
In the 10am morning session, Scottish Open champion Lei could not have had a worse start to proceedings – his opening shot was a FOUL as the blue went down a pocket from the BREAK-OFF.
Wilson, the world No.2, hit a 136 break in frame eight and only needed to keep his composure on Saturday night to secure easy passage.
The Curse started to tighten its grip in frame 11 and Wilson was left shaking his head when he fouled as a stray red rolled into the pocket after he sunk a blue.
Before arriving here, Wilson tried to mock his predicament in a social media clip – this involved him breaking a mirror, letting a black cat walk in front of him and opening an umbrella indoors.
It was an attempt to make light of what he was about to face, a defiance if you like to the much-mentioned ‘Snooker Gods’, but his luck eventually ran out in sensational fashion.
Wilson had mentioned his desire to break the Curse in the hours after he won the £500,000 jackpot last May but he was outpotted by the tremendous Lei.
Lei, the world No.39, is one of three rookies in this event and the qualifier will now face either Jak Jones or Zhao Xintong in round two.
This seismic result has blown open the top half of the draw and kickstarted the Chinese revolution in this competition.
When he hosted the inaugural Champions’ Dinner on Thursday night, which was attended by 11 former world conquerors, one wag could not resist the chance to joke: “Get ready Kyren, the Grim Reaper is coming for you.”
And the scythe came crashing down after 11pm in one memorable decider.
For some people, the Curse could technically be extended to have snared the likes of John Spencer, Ray Reardon and Alex Higgins.
But those three icons had already been world champions somewhere else before they had lifted the silver trophy in South Yorkshire.
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