In a stunning upset at the Crucible Theatre, Hossein Vafaei defeated Judd Trump 10-6 in the first round of the World Snooker Championship. The Iranian player, ranked 18th in the world, delivered a composed performance to overcome the 2019 champion.
Match Highlights
Vafaei, making his third Crucible appearance, took control early with a 5-3 lead after the first session. He extended his advantage to 9-4 before Trump mounted a brief fightback, winning two frames. However, Vafaei sealed victory with a break of 73 in the 16th frame.
“I am so happy. I played my best snooker today,” said Vafaei. “Judd is a great champion, but I believed in myself.”
Other Results
Neil Robertson, the 2010 champion, cruised past Wu Yize 10-3 with three centuries. Mark Allen edged out Pang Junxu 10-7 in a tense affair. Kyren Wilson also progressed, beating Jamie Jones 10-5.
Defending champion Luca Brecel begins his campaign on Saturday against David Gilbert.
