Stan Moody pulls off upset victory over John Higgins at 2026 World Open, Judd Trump defeats Florian Nuessle
Updated 17/03/2026 at 10:29 GMT
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Stan Moody, 19, was in superb, high-scoring form as he knocked out defending champion John Higgins 5-4 at the 2026 World Open in Yushan, China. The match was the 2,000th of Higgins' professional career, but he fell short in the decisive frame. Elsewhere, world No. 1 Judd Trump beat Florian Nuessle 5-1 in a routine victory that sends him to the third round of the tournament.
'What a win' - Moody keeps cool to beat Higgins in dramatic decider
Video credit: TNT Sports
Stan Moody pulled off an upset in the second round of the World Open in China as he edged a final-frame decider to beat defending champion John Higgins 5-4.
Moody, 19, started the match with back-to-back half centuries, first of 84 and then of 52, to move clear of his more experienced opponent.
Higgins then notched his own of 57 as he halved the deficit, only for Moody to step things up a gear once more, as an 84 and an 82 moved him 4-1 clear, and seemingly on the cusp of a shock win.
Despite that, Higgins held his nerve, winning frames either side of a 135 century, the highest break of the match, to set up a decisive ninth frame.
An effort of 65 from Moody was enough to knock Higgins out, and the 19-year-old moved into the next round where he faces Ryan Day.
For Higgins, the defeat was a disappointment as it came in his 2,000th professional encounter.
Judd Trump moved into the third round of the World Open with a commanding 5-1 win over Florian Nuessle.
Victory for the world No. 1 came in short order as he racked up a string of large breaks, eliminating his Austrian opponent.
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Trump scored a century of 116 in the first frame, before moving two clear with a 79-0 scoreline. He then fell five short of a century break to move 3-0 up, and at that point, Nuessle had scored just a single point over the course of all three frames played.
Nuessle notched a break of 53 to pull one back, but Trump immediately hit back with a century of 101, and then secured a 5-1 win with a 72 break.
Trump faces Jackson Page in the next round.
Elsewhere at the World Open, Ali Carter lost to Martin O'Donnell 5-3 as he crashed out, Kyren Wilson defeated Lyu Haotian 5-2, while Mark Allen beat Antoni Kowalski 5-2.
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‘What a clearance’ – Higgins sets up final-frame decider with trademark break
Video credit: TNT Sports
In the third round, Trump will face Wales' Jackson Page. Next up for Wilson is a clash with Allan Taylor.
Ronnie O'Sullivan is through to the next round after a walkover against Ishpreet Singh Chadha, who withdrew from the tournament, and he comes up against Matthew Selt on Wednesday.
Mark Williams and world champion Zhao Xintong play on Tuesday afternoon.
Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season live on TNT Sports
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