{"id":6914,"date":"2026-04-16T04:03:54","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T04:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=6914"},"modified":"2026-04-16T04:03:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T04:03:54","slug":"snooker-star-felt-complete-embarrassment-during-absolutely-nuts-crucible-qualifier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=6914","title":{"rendered":"Snooker star felt &#8216;complete embarrassment&#8217; during &#8216;absolutely nuts&#8217; Crucible qualifier"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27991840\" alt=\"Johnstone's Paint Masters - Day Two\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Gary Wilson survived an \u2018absolutely nuts\u2019 final qualifier for the Crucible (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Gary Wilson is back at the Crucible but his performance in his final qualifier left him with \u2018complete embarrassment\u2019 in an \u2018absolutely nuts\u2019 contest.<\/p>\n<p>The Tyneside Terror beat Xu Si 10-9, but it looked likely to be far more comfortable than that when he burst into a 7-2 lead, making two tons and five half-centuries on the way.<\/p>\n<p>At that point, having thrashed Allan Taylor 10-1 in the previous round, things were looking very peachy for Wilson, but he says he never felt comfortable during either match.<\/p>\n<p>Xu surged back into a 9-8 lead with the Englishman faltering, before scrapping to force a decider and then making a break of 126 to win it.<\/p>\n<p>Wilson was thrilled to win, but could not see many positives with how he played, even in his initial demolition of Taylor.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Absolutely nuts,\u2019 Wilson told WST of his win over Xu. \u2018People weren\u2019t believing us the other day when I played Allan [Taylor] and it was 10-1 and I said I\u2019m struggling. I was genuinely struggling. <\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tAre you mad about snooker?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>You&#8217;re in the right place. I&#8217;m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for <strong>Metro<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In my new newsletter, The Table, I&#8217;ll be analysing the biggest talking points, breaking down frames and crowning the week&#8217;s winners and losers every Monday.<\/p>\n<p>With another brilliant World Championships just around the corner, now is the time to join. Sign up here.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Phil-Haigh-1-c59c.png?w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24029579\" alt=\"A headshot of Metro Sports reporter Phil Haigh\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Phil has been reporting on snooker for over a decade, since working in World Snooker&#8217;s press office in 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u2018From ball one today I had no cueing whatsoever. Again I got a good lead, I was getting chances again, maybe he was a bit nervous. I potted a few good balls, but I was making breaks just steering in and trying. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255960138.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27991846\" alt=\"Johnstone's Paint Masters - Day Two\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Wilson has booked a sixth trip to the Crucible (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018The table was playing lovely so it was allowing us to get away with things. Tonight was even worse I just couldn\u2019t cue a ball even more, I thought it was a complete embarrassment. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018At the end there, it\u2019s the biggest tournament we have, if you can\u2019t try everything here, when are you ever going to try? That last break at the end there was just sheer try. I was stabbing at them, steering them and yipping them and all sorts.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Making a century in a deciding frame to reach the Crucible is an achievement in itself, but Wilson will not be content until he feels comfortable at the table.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018It\u2019s all that counts but it doesn\u2019t count for much going forward and that\u2019s always the problem with me,\u2019 he said of the impressive break.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2249542072.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27991850\" alt=\"2025 UK Championship - Day 3\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Xu Si battled back to a deciding frame but could not book a Crucible debut (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018If I play anything like that at the Crucible I\u2019ll be happy to pick up me points, pick up me walk-ons for the two sessions, pick up me money and anything after that is a bonus. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018I seriously need to try to find a way to cue the ball properly to have any chance to do what I feel I can do deep down, which is play much better than that, go deep in tournaments and win tournaments again.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018It\u2019s so frustrating but at the same time I\u2019m over the moon to try my hardest there and somehow scrape through. I\u2019ve always known I\u2019ve got bottle and that\u2019s all that was.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The 40-year-old will be in the World Snooker Championship draw for a sixth time on Thursday morning, learning his fate at around 8.45am.<\/p>\n<p>Wilson has been to a Crucible semi-final before, reaching the last four in 2019, but has won just one match at the iconic theatre since then.<\/p>\n<p>The three-time ranking event winner has had a mixed season, with his three standout results all coming in China, with a Wuhan Open final run, a semi-final at the Xi\u2019an Grand Prix and World Open quarter-final.<\/p>\n<p>He will be looking to add to his three ranking titles with the biggest one of all over the next three weeks.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tWorld Snooker Championship field\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>Top 16<\/p>\n<p>Zhao Xintong<br \/>Judd Trump<br \/>Neil Robertson<br \/>Mark Williams<br \/>John Higgins<br \/>Kyren Wilson<br \/>Mark Selby<br \/>Shaun Murphy<br \/>Berry Hawkins<br \/>Xiao Guodong<br \/>Wu Yize<br \/>Chris Wakelin<br \/>Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan<br \/>Mark Allen<br \/>Si Jiahui<br \/>Ding Junhui<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2213020184.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27662864\" alt=\"SNOOKER-WORLD\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Zhao Xintong is favourite to defend his title this year (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Qualifiers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Hossein Vafaei<br \/>Zhou Yuelong<br \/>Matthew Stevens<br \/>Antoni Kowalski<br \/>Dave Gilbert<br \/>Stan Moody<br \/>Pang Junxu<br \/>Liam Pullen<br \/>Jak Jones<br \/>Ali Carter<br \/>He Guoqiang<br \/>Fan Zhengyi<br \/>Zhang Anda<br \/>Gary Wilson<br \/>Lei Peifan<br \/>Liam Highfield<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-metro wp-block-embed-metro\"\/>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tJudgement Day Results\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>Day One Results<\/p>\n<p>Hossein Vafaei 10-4 Gao Yang<br \/>Zhou Yuelong 10-4 Michael Holt<br \/>Matthew Stevens 10-7 Stuart Bingham<br \/>Antoni Kowalski 10-8 Jamie Jones<br \/>David Gilbert 10-6 Aaron Hill<br \/>Stan Moody 10-9 Jiang Jung<br \/>Pang Junxu 10-8 Jackson Page<br \/>Liam Pullen 10-8 Noppon Saengkham<\/p>\n<p>Day Two Results<\/p>\n<p>Luca Brecel 5-10 Jak Jones<br \/>Anthony McGill 7-10 Ali Carter<br \/>He Guoqiang 10-5 Jack Lisowski<br \/>Ben Mertens 4-10 Fan Zhengyi<br \/>Zak Surety 3-10 Zhang Anda<br \/>Xu Si 9-10 Gary Wilson<br \/>Ryan Day 5-10 Lei Peifan<br \/>Liam Highfield 10-2 Oliver Lines<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: 2023 Crucible king falls in World Snooker Championship qualifying just three years later<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: The young snooker stars hoping to create own Luke Littler effect at the Crucible<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Dave Gilbert offers advice after being shocked by Aaron Hill\u2019s snooker<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\">\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card accent--snooker\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card__inner\">\n<h4>The Table<\/h4>\n<p>Stay ahead of snooker&#8217;s next big break with Metro&#8217;s resident expert Phil Haigh in his new weekly newsletter.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> Snooker star felt &#8216;complete embarrassment&#8217; during &#8216;absolutely nuts&#8217; Crucible qualifier<br \/>\n<br \/>#Snooker #star #felt #complete #embarrassment #absolutely #nuts #Crucible #qualifier<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gary Wilson survived an \u2018absolutely nuts\u2019 final qualifier for the Crucible (Picture: Getty Images) Gary&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2734,545,4632,5955,6455,6456,6361,1765,541],"class_list":["post-6914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-absolutely","tag-complete","tag-crucible","tag-embarrassment","tag-felt","tag-nuts","tag-qualifier","tag-snooker","tag-star"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334_1776297259.jpg",1200,630,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334_1776297259-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334_1776297259-300x158.jpg",300,158,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334_1776297259-768x403.jpg",640,336,true],"large":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334_1776297259-1024x538.jpg",640,336,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334_1776297259.jpg",1200,630,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334_1776297259.jpg",1200,630,false],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334_1776297259-1024x538.jpg",1024,538,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/news678.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2255971334_1776297259-540x340.jpg",540,340,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/news678.top\/?cat=6\" rel=\"category\">Sports<\/a>","tag_info":"Sports","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6914"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6914\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news678.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}