The kids are alright! Young stars move to within a win of Crucible qualification

Stan Moody, Liam Pullen, and Antoni Kowalski are all through to the final qualifying round of snooker’s blue riband event following victories in the penultimate round on Sunday at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

As the world number 44, Moody skipped the opening two rounds of preliminaries that were held at the EIOS earlier this week, but faced an experienced opponent in Robbie Williams who has qualified for the Crucible four times and been a three-time ranking event semi-finalist.

Nineteen-year-old Moody began the contest in style with a 101 before a 73 helped him double his advantage. He then made it 3-0 before Williams got on the board just before the first mid-session interval.

On resumption, the players traded frames (Moody 54 break - frame five, Williams 108 break - frame eight), as Moody bookended his morning session work with a 128 to take a 6-3 profit into the concluding act that evening.

A two-time ranking event quarter-finalist this season, Moody kept his opponent at arm’s length later on as he posted efforts of 50 and 66 in a 10-5 win.

On Judgement Day Moody will face Chinese 20-year-old Jiang Jun - meaning a main draw debutant is guaranteed - who scored breaks of 101 and 142 as he recorded a 10-7 victory over world number 21 Elliot Slessor.

Another English youngster on the cusp of Crucible qualification is 20-year-old Pullen who caused an upset in eliminating recent World Open champion Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, 10-7.

Pullen has had a bit of a breakthrough season having reclaimed his professional stripes via Q School. He made his first ranking event quarter-final at the Xi’an Grand Prix back in October - a run that started with a win over four-time world champion John Higgins in qualifying a few weeks before.

Having led 5-4 after the first session, Pullen watched his opponent take back-to-back frames at the start of the evening’s play to nudge in front. However, he won five of the next six frames, wrapping up his passage through with a 105. Pullen also racked up seven further half-centuries during the tie.

From one Thai player to another for Pullen, as he meets Noppon Saengkham at the final hurdle on Tuesday. Saengkham saw off Ricky Walden, 10-6, along with a trio of century breaks.

Kowalski is close to becoming the first Polish player to compete at the Crucible after the 22-year-old defeated world number 28 Joe O’Connor.

Having crafted a 124 in the opening frame, Kowalski enjoyed a very pleasing first session as further runs of 59, 63, 66 and 112 put him in firm control at 7-2 up.

But three-time ranking event runner-up O'Connor - who was aiming to reach the Crucible for a third consecutive year - battled back several hours later.

He strung together the first four frames of the night, and six of the first seven to draw level at 8-8, but Kowalski, who had a 61 in frame 14, regrouped in frame 17 with a decisive 89 before getting the job done in the next for a 10-8 win.

Standing in the way of Kowalski and a Crucible berth is Jamie Jones who dispatched Matthew Selt, 10-3. There will be extra significance on that match for the young Pole, as victory would also maintain his place on the professional circuit for next season.

It feels like Jackson Page has been around for quite a while, but the Welshman is still only 24-years-old. He stayed on course for a third Crucible outing after ending the run of amateur player Patrick Whelan, 10-6 - highlighting a 112 in frame nine.

Page’s Judgement Day date will be with fellow former ranking event finalist Pang Junxu who ousted Dylan Emery, 10-9.

The contest featured big swings in momentum. Pang was in command as he chalked up breaks of 105 and 132 in establishing a 5-0 lead, but Emery responded with a five-frame sequence of his own.

Pang then went 8-5 up, but Emery secured four of the next five frames to force a decider.

However, it was world number 29 Pang - a quarter-finalist at the UK Championship this season - who got the verdict.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 World Championship qualifying rounds, visit here.