Kyren Wilson Crushes Lei Peifan in 2025 Snooker Opener

# Wilson Takes Early Lead in World Championship Title Defense

**Sheffield, UK** – Kyren Wilson is off to a strong start in his title defense. The defending champion leads Crucible newcomer Lei Peifan 6-3 after their first session. The match is a best-of-19 frames showdown at Sheffield’s famous Crucible Theatre.

Wilson, 33, showed his experience after a shaky start. He lost the first two frames but then won six in a row. His best moment came in frame eight with a brilliant 136 break. This put him firmly in control.

Lei, just 21, made his Crucible debut with some bright moments. He took advantage when Wilson missed key shots early on. The young Chinese player also won the last frame of the session. Wilson struggled with position on a tricky red, giving Lei a chance.

The match continues tonight at 19:00 BST. Wilson hopes to make history by breaking the ‘Crucible curse’. No first-time champion has successfully defended their title since the tournament moved to Sheffield in 1977.

In other morning action, Xiao Guodong leads Matthew Selt 7-2. Both players showed great form, each making two century breaks in a high-quality match.

Later today, two former champions begin their campaigns. Neil Robertson faces Chris Wakelin at 14:30 BST. Mark Williams takes on Wu Yize in the same session.

## Today’s Schedule

**Morning Session (10:00 BST)**
– Kyren Wilson 6-3 Lei Peifan
– Xiao Guodong 7-2 Matthew Selt

**Afternoon Session (14:30 BST)**
– Neil Robertson v Chris Wakelin
– Mark Williams v Wu Yize

**Evening Session (19:00 BST)**
– Kyren Wilson v Lei Peifan (final session)
– Barry Hawkins v Hossein Vafaei

Fans can follow all the action on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website. Live text updates and radio commentary are available on BBC Radio 5 Live. The tournament runs until May 6th.