Ken Doherty names young English snooker star he is 'sure' will become world champion

Conqueror of the Crucible in 1997 - famously ending Stephen Hendry’s 29-match, five-year winning streak, in the final of the blue riband event - Doherty has been celebrating having qualified for next month’s International Championship in Nanjing, China.

Wins on the World Snooker Tour have been sparse for Doherty in recent times. Prior to his qualifying tie at Ponds Forge in Sheffield on Tuesday night, the Irishman had picked up just one victory this season - against fellow legend Jimmy White in the opening round of the Saudi Arabia Masters in Jeddah.

But underdog Doherty upset the odds in Yorkshire to score an impressive, morale boosting 6-5 win over in-from teenager Moody to set up a last 64 meeting with Neil Robertson in the Far East in a few weeks time. Earlier in the same day, Robertson crafted his 1,000th century break in professional competition.

Moody led the contest 3-2 before Doherty strung together three successive frames to reach the hill first at 5-3 up.

Efforts of 76 and 51 - his fifth and sixth half-century breaks of the match - helped Moody force the verdict all the way, but 56-year-old Doherty got the job done in the decider to progress.

Last week, Doherty was part of the ITV4 punditry and commentary teams that covered the British Open in Cheltenham. Shaun Murphy won that event in superb style, but 19-year-old Moody was another star of the show as he reached the quarter-finals.

The day following his qualifying win, Doherty took to Instagram to praise his opponent, and made his feelings clear about his opponent having a very bright future in the sport. He also posted on his X account.

Who is Stan Moody? Career achievements of one of snooker’s rising stars

Born in September 2006, Stan Moody is one of the hottest properties in the world of snooker right now.

Moody won English junior national titles at under-14, under-16, and under-18 levels.

In 2023, in Sydney, Australia, Moody defeated fellow English cueist Liam Pullen 5-1 in the final to win the World Snooker Federation Junior Championship. The accolade carried a two-year professional tour card, earning Moody promotion to snooker’s top flight for the first time in his career.

During the same trip in Australia, Moody also reached the final of the open-age WSF Championship, but was denied an incredible double by China’s Ma Hailong.

Understandably, Moody’s debut season on the World Snooker Tour was a tough experience, although the rookie did make the last 16 of the Northern Ireland Open.

However, the youngster went up several levels in his second term, collecting nearly £75,000 in prize money. He appeared in the last 16 of the British Open, and again the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast. ‘The Action’ - as he is nicknamed - also had two last 32 finishes, and was one frame away from qualifying for the main venue, televised stages of the UK Championship.

Moody managed to accumulate enough wins to retain his professional status at the first time of asking, ending his second season inside the top 64 of the world rankings - a fantastic achievement.

And Moody has continued to break new personal ground this 2025/26 campaign. He won a couple of matches at the big-money Saudi Arabia Masters, then a few weeks later he defeated Ding Junhui, Zhou Yuelong, and Barry Hawkins en route to his first ranking event quarter-final at the Wuhan Open. His run was ended by eventual event winner Xiao Guodong who retained the title.

But the young talent didn’t have to wait long for another last eight appearance. At the recent British Open, Moody dismissed world number two Kyren Wilson in the last 64, and ousted Ali Carter in the last 16 before being stopped by runner-up Anthony McGill in the quarters.

On the updated rankings list after Cheltenham, Moody has broken into the world’s top 50 for the first time, sitting 49th in the global standings - a career-high.

For information on the 2025 International Championship qualifying matches, visit here.