A 19-year-old Stan Moody ended the dream run of four-time champion John Higgins with a 4-2 victory in the British Open last 16 at Cheltenham.
The English teenager, who reached the quarter-finals for the second consecutive year, showed composure beyond his years to close out the match. Although Higgins, aged 51, levelled the score twice after falling behind, Moody secured the win with a clearance of 69 points ending on the black in the sixth frame.
Moody will now face fellow Englishman Liam Highfield in the next round. The Halifax-born player has established himself as a rising force in the sport, overcoming one of the game’s most experienced veterans.
Elsewhere on the table, Judd Trump advanced smoothly with a dominant 4-0 win over David Gilbert, showcasing powerful breaks of 118 and 105 in the final two frames.
Jack Lisowski also progressed, defeating Lyu Haotian 4-1 to set up a Friday showdown with Mark Selby, who edged past Ukraine’s Iulian Boiko 4-2.
Other notable results saw Jak Jones of Wales defeat Latvia’s Artemus Zizins 4-2, while Aaron Hill from Northern Ireland and Highfield claimed 4-0 and 4-1 wins against Chinese players Fan Zhengyi and Long Zehuang respectively.
Wow, Higgins is 51! Moody handling that pressure is genuinely impressive for a rookie.
Highfield vs Moody? Pure British final. Glad to see the younger generation taking over the sport.