SHEFFIELD, England, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China's Luo Honghao suffered a 10-0 whitewash to former champion Shaun Murhy in the first round of the world snooker championship here on Monday.
The 19-year-old Luo, making his debut at the Crucible Theatre, became the first player to fail to win a single frame since John Parrott beat Eddie Charlton 10-0 in 1992.
Luo, from south China's Jiangxi Province, also set an unwanted record for the lowest number of points scored in a match at the Sheffield venue. He scored just 89 points, beating the previous record of 191 scored by Englishman Danny Fowler when he lost 10-1 to Stephen Hendry in 1993.
Tour rookie Luo, who reached the quarterfinals of the English Open last year, said he was too nervous and under too much pressure at the world's most famous snooker venue.
"I just could not focus on the game," Luo said. "I felt very bad and very nervous and just could not play. "
"It's my first time at the Crucible and it's a really different feeling. I didn't feel like I was playing a match."
He promised that he will come back next year as a stronger player.
"After this time I want to improve myself, my technique and my skill. I'm still not good enough to play against the top players, they're too strong."
Murphy, who lifted the trophy in 2005 when he was only 22, said, "Luo is a very talented player and to get to the Crucible in your first pro season is an amazing achievement. I'm sure he will use this as inspiration. The arena here can do funny things to the best of us so he should shrug it off and move on."
