I did this countdown three years ago. Since then, there are new additions and it’s about time there is a revamp!
The shock results of the first round are best known because a high-profile seed was knocked out by a complete outsider at the Crucible. The complete outsider may be a player of unknown quality, a professional or amateur who is completely unexpected to win. For the seeded player, the pressures of being a tournament favourite get to them or they made a fatal mistake of underestimating their opponent.
10. Andy Hicks vs. Quinten Hann (10-4) (2004)
It wasn’t just the result that was shocking about this match. Beating the short-tempered Quinten Hann wasn’t too ground-breaking compared to many nominations on this list. But I will mention this match because it is also regarded as one of the biggest-bust-ups in snooker history.
It wasn’t a high-scoring duel, but Andy Hicks pulled away from 4-3 up to win 10-4. There was clearly plenty of needle. But when the match was concluded, Hicks snidely said to Hann that the loss puts him out of the Top 16. Hann was provoked but was separated by referee Lawrie Annandale. Hicks said that he regrets the comment he said. But it didn’t stop the final and a boxing match between Hann with Mark King standing in Hicks’s place.
9. Stefan Mazrocis vs. Peter Ebdon (10-3) (1997)
This match was described as “the biggest upset for 15 years at the World Championship.” Three years after Peter Ebdon beat Stefan Mazrocis 10-4 in the Last 48 of the the World Championship, Mazrocis returned the favour. Mazrocis, who was the 250-1 outsider to win the tournament, beat the No. 3 10-3 in 1997.
What was quite funny was his post-match comments. He said, “I had a couple of beers before the match and a few more during the game … I didn’t have too many but they helped me relax.” Not many players would get away from saying that today!
8. David Gray vs. Ronnie O’Sullivan (10-9) (2000)
A year before Ronnie O’Sullivan won his first World Championship trophy, he suffered a first round shock. What was probably shocking about this loss was that he led the majority of the match. O’Sullivan was 5-1 and 9-7 up. He hammered in breaks of 136, 123, 115, 102, 101, 96, 59, 51, clearly outscoring David Gray. Yet he still lost to Gray 10-9.
The most unfortunate thing about that loss was what happened to Gray the next round. Gray was thrashed 13-1 against Dominic Dale, scoring just 288 points in total that match.
7. Rory McLeod vs. Judd Trump (10-8) (2017)
The reason why this match is high on this list is because of Rory McLeod. McLeod wasn’t a nobody – he reached the Last 16 before back in 2011. The Highlander is a minor-ranking event winner and has been a professional for 15 seasons. It also didn’t help that Judd Trump had an apparent shoulder injury when going down on shots.
But Trump was one of the tournament favourites and was certain to win his first round match. McLeod was priced at 1,000-1 to win the title. What puts this nomination on the list was the breathtaking arrogance that Judd portrayed. He claimed at the time to be the best in the world and that he can play “to a standard which is very rare nowadays.” In a ‘chalk and cheese’ match, Trump led 4-0 before being pegged back to 5-4 behind. Trump lost 10-8 and unusually avoided doing a post-match press conference. McLeod’s highest break throughout the match was only 77!
6. Cao Yupeng vs. Mark Allen (10-6) (2012)
Eight seeds lost their opening match in the 2012 World Championship. But the greatest shock of them all was caused by Cao Yupeng. Cao got his tour card that season by winning the ACBS Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship. The No. 83 seed had to win four qualifying matches to even reach the Crucible! He managed to be Mark Allen 10-6 in the first round.
There is another twist in the tale. Despite Allen conceding that he was beaten by the better man, he accused Cao of dishonesty. When Cao was 5-4 up, he was alleged to play a push-shot, which would be a foul shot. In a sport where players are expected to declare fouls on themselves, this is highly controversial. Allen later apologised for his comments and for being out of line and was fined for bringing the game into disrepute.
5. Dechawat Poomjaeng vs. Stephen Maguire (10-9) (2013)
Considering Stephen Maguire reached the semi-finals in the previous year, everyone expected Maguire to go far. Especially after he was drawn against a lowly-seeded debutant who was playing just two seasons as a professional. Maguire was touted as a future World Champion don’t forget. But what made this loss stand out even more when the behaviour of his opponent Dechawat Poomjaeng. It wasn’t exactly abiding to the etiquette of how a snooker player should behave!
Accidentally knocking over a bottle of water. Stamping the floor. Applauding his own shots. Walking to the wrong table. His animated facial expressions. These are a few of Poomjaeng’s antics throughout the match that got the crowd on his side. But the Thai showed his talent and defeated Maguire 10-9. It was a bizarre match that ended with Poomjaeng briefly celebrating with a stranger in the crowd before leaving the arena.
4. Michael Wasley vs. Ding Junhui (10-9) (2014)
Ding Junhui never had a fantastic Crucible record. But in 2014, he never arrived at the World Championships in better form. Ding won five ranking titles that season, including the one right before the World Championship, the China Open. This was a record of the most ranking victories in a single season he shared with Stephen Hendry at the time. Ding was drawn against debutant Michael Wasley, who was finishing his second season as a professional.
Despite trailing 6-3 at the start of the second session, the No. 73 ranked Wasley pulled three frames back to level. The match was pulled out with Ding leading 9-8. After Wasley forced a decider, Wasley ended up leading with Ding needing snookers. Despite laying two horrendous snookers with only pink and black left on the table, Ding eventually made a mistake. Wasley potted the pink and celebrated with a puff of his checks. To beat a player who had such a brilliant season was so unexpected.
3. Stuart Bingham vs. Stephen Hendry (10-7) (2000)
A seven-time World Champion lost a first round tie against a No. 92 seed.
Stephen Hendry won his record-breaking seventh World title the year before, defeating Mark Williams 18-11. Hendry overtook six World titles obtained by Ray Reardon and Steve Davis. The Crucible was Hendry’s arena and it looked like his dominance was going to reignite again. Could Hendry win his eighth World Championship title?
No, he couldn’t and he certainly didn’t in 2000. Despite recovering from 4-2 down to lead 5-4 at the end of the first session, a young Stuart Bingham turned up the heat. Bingham won five of the next six frames and ended up winning 10-7 to see Hendry packing he bags. Bingham said that he felt completely relaxed and in his element when he walked in the area. Hendry felt he “spent most of the day trying not to lose instead of concentrating on winning“. He commended his opponent for playing with the right attitude.
2. James Cahill vs. Ronnie O’Sullivan (10-8) (2019)
Former professional James Cahill became the first ever amateur to qualify for the World Championships. Then he was drawn against Ronnie O’Sullivan, who won five professional titles in total, including the UK Championship during the 2018/2019 season. On paper, he could not have hoped for an easier draw. For a man who reached 1000 career centuries that season, it’s no surprise that he was tournament favourite.
The tone was set when Cahill won the first frame on the final black and later raced to a 3-0. It was clear in the first session that something was not quite right with Ronnie. Pundits Ken Doherty and Steve Davis felt that Ronnie “played like he didn’t want to be there” and was unfocused. Despite this, he rallied to draw level at 8-8, but Cahill managed to finish the job. By winning 10-8, he produced arguably the greatest upset in Crucible history.
But that match wasn’t the greatest shock for me. Cahill was indeed an amateur but was a professional before. His ‘Giant Killer’ reputation at the time proved he was no slouch. Ronnie later revealed, “All my limbs feel really heavy, my legs, my arms, I’m absolutely shattered, I had no energy, I’m struggling to stay awake.” It was a shame that Cahill beat a man who had been ill for a month. But everyone knows Ronnie’s D-game is brilliant – he still managed to hit seven half-centuries and a 104 that match!
1. Tony Knowles vs. Steve Davis (10-1) (1982)
Everyone would’ve predicted that this match would take the top spot!
Steve Davis won his first World Championship title the previous year. He came into the Crucible the next year as the obvious odds-on favourite. Everyone expected him to dominate every tournament possible as he looked invincible. His opponent Tony Knowles had no pedigree. He lost in his only Crucible appearance against Graham Miles in 1981 and hadn’t one any trophies.
So imagine everybody’s surprise when Knowles stormed to a 4-0 and then a 8-1 lead in the first session. Davis played far from his usual fluency. He couldn’t muster even a 50+ break! Apparently after that session, Knowles headed for a nightclub until the early hours. Knowles was victorious at 10-1 the next day and achieved stardom overnight because of his emphatic win.
This the biggest Crucible shock more than the others because it was a result nobody saw coming. Davis was usually incredibly cool but to see him thumped so badly was an eye-opener. Arguably, this is the match that started the talk of the ‘Crucible Curse’. If a shock of such magnitude was the origin of that ‘curse’, then it has to go No. 1 on the list.
Please note that I take no credit for the images used in this countdown.
