Kyren Wilson stunned as he crashes out in first round of World Championships

The reigning champion lost a thriller to China's Leo Peifan on the opening day of the 2025 competition, going down 10-9 at the Crucible in Sheffield on Saturday night.

In a topsy-turvy encounter, Wilson roared back from 2-0 down to lead 6-2 in the afternoon session, only to then lose seven frames on the spin to be staring defeat in the face at 9-6 down.

The 33-year-old lived up to his 'Warrior' nickname as he battled back to tie the scores at 9-9, but it was Peifan who held his nerve in the deciding frame to hit a break of 60 and claim an historic victory in what was his first match at the Crucible.

He became the first player to beat a defending champion in their debut match at the Crucible since Stuart Bingham knocked out Stephen Hendry back in 2000.

Wilson is also the eighth first-time champion to be beaten in their first round match the next year, following on from Terry Griffiths (1980), Steve Davis (1982), Dennis Taylor (1986), Graeme Dott (2007), Neil Robertson (2011), Stuart Bingham (2016) and Luca Brecel (2024).

The defeat is a body blow to Wilson, who was confident he could retain the crown he won 12 months ago, and he admitted: "It's really hard to take, it really hurts.

"Lei potted some incredible balls and held himself together in the end, he seems like a cool character and I wish him all the best."

The defeat brings to an end a brilliant season for Wilson, that saw him win four ranking events and cement his position as the world number two behind Judd Trump.

"It has been a long season, I have done so much," said the Kettering potter, who practises at the Barratts Club in Northampton.

"I am proud of the way I have handled it and hopefully I have given you guys in the media plenty to write about.

"We are all trying to grow the game, make it more popular and help the younger generation to see it as a great sport to get into."

Peifan, who had to win through two qualifying rounds to book his place at the Championship, was delighted with his stunning victory against the top seed.

"It feels amazing. The Scottish Open was my first title and this was my Crucible debut — both moments are very special to me. The emotions were just as intense," said the 21-year-old

"I didn’t think I had much chance when the draw came out.

"But the moment I stepped into the arena and saw the crowd, I just felt so excited. It really lived up to what I saw on TV all those years ago.

"I was definitely feeling pressure towards the end. I calmed myself down and told myself not to overthink — just to let go and play freely.

"I really enjoyed playing here - the crowd, the lighting, the whole atmosphere was amazing.

"I’ve worked hard to get here, and I wanted to give something back to the fans and to myself."

Peifan now moves into the second round where he will play either Zhao Xintong or Jak Jones on Friday.