02 March 2023 , 16:46
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Teenage sensation Stan Moody wants to replicate his mentor Shaun Murphy and become a world snooker champion.
Murphy will head to the Crucible next month in blistering form and as one of the favourites - but has also been keeping more than just a watchful eye on his 'mini-me' Moody. Halifax's Moody - who has an uncanny resemblance to the Magician - is making waves in the sport after securing his two-year professional tour card last month.
The 16-year-old starlet won the WSF Junior Championship in Sydney in impressive style to seal his pro card, and has been handed a wildcard shot at qualifying for the Sheffield showpiece in April.
World no.6 Murphy, meanwhile, won the Players Championship last week to claim his first ranking title in three years. He turned pro at 15, the same age Moody announced himself on the scene with a victory at the Snooker Shootout last year.
And Moody has been benefitting from the insight of the experienced Murphy as he prepares for the start of his debut season on the brutally challenging pro tour this summer.
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"He’s playing very well at the minute, I’m proud of him. I think stuff off the table has helped him as well and obviously practicing with me, that’s upped his game a bit," Moody jokingly told Metro.co.uk.
"He said he’d known about me for years, people telling him I was a small version of him. We met at an exhibition and he said he’d like to help out if we’d like that, then it’s gone from there."
Moody hit the headlines when he won a Snooker Shootout match aged 15 last year (Eurosport)Murphy, 40, has already revealed that Moody plays up to the striking similarities in their appearance by comically calling him 'Dad' when they meet. And while the talented Moody has ambitions to match the Triple Crown winner's incredible achievements in the game, he is also keen to temper expectations for his rookie year.
"I’m just going to enjoy it," he said. "I said to my dad when I won the Junior Championship, I don’t care if I don’t win a match, it’s just about the experience, I’m going to enjoy it and see what happens.
"I want to be world number one, world champion, win a load of ranking events, but that’s the same thing. If it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. We’ll just have to see."