Who did Stephen Bunting play in the World Championship?

Stephen Bunting played Sebastian Bialecki in the first round of the World Championship.

What was Stephen Bunting's performance in the World Championship?

Stephen Bunting narrowly won his first-round match 3-2 after being taken to a tie-breaker.

Who are some other winners from the World Championship?

Darren Beveridge, Jonny Tata, Dom Taylor, Joe Cullen, Wesley Plaisier, and James Hurrell also won their matches.

Home / Sports / Bunting Survives Scare in World Championship Thriller

Bunting Survives Scare in World Championship Thriller

15 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Stephen Bunting narrowly advanced to the second round after a tough match.
He was pushed to a tie-breaker by opponent Sebastian Bialecki.
Bunting expressed relief and recognized the need for improvement.

Bunting Survives Scare in World Championship Thriller

Fourth seed Stephen Bunting narrowly avoided an early exit from the World Championship, surviving a scare on Sunday at Alexandra Palace. He was ultimately pushed to a tie-breaker by Poland's Sebastian Bialecki, ultimately winning their encounter 3-2.

Despite a dominant start where Bunting achieved a 160 checkout, his performance faltered, allowing Bialecki to mount a comeback. Bunting acknowledged the emotional nature of playing at Ally Pally and admitted he was fortunate to advance, emphasizing the need to regroup for his next match.

Other notable results included Scotland's Darren Beveridge making an impressive debut with a 3-0 win, and Nitin Kumar becoming the first Indian winner at the event. Newcomers Jonny Tata and Dom Taylor also secured victories, while Joe Cullen, Wesley Plaisier, and James Hurrell advanced.