World No. 3 snooker player Mark Allen has expressed his frustration with the playing conditions at the British Open in Cheltenham. After winning his first-round match against Gary Wilson, Allen criticized the venue, claiming the open doors made the playing area cold and humid, deeming the table “unplayable” and in need of being burned. This is not the first time top snooker players have complained about playing conditions at ranking events, with Ronnie O’Sullivan and Iranian player Hossein Vafaei both voicing their discontent in the past.
Allen, who was the runner-up in the 2022 British Open, expressed his disappointment with the lack of changes despite his frequent complaints to the World Snooker Tour. Despite preparing meticulously for tournaments, he feels let down when the conditions are not up to standard. Meanwhile, Judd Trump recorded his 999th career century in a 4-1 win, leaving him one century away from joining O’Sullivan and John Higgins in achieving this milestone.
Defending champion Mark Williams suffered a surprise defeat, while Ding Junhui and Ali Carter also fell in deciders. However, world champion Kyren Wilson breezed through with a 4-0 victory. Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from his match against Manasawin Phetmalaikul, adding a twist to the tournament. The World Snooker Tour has acknowledged the issues raised by Allen and cited the unprecedented rainfall in the area as a contributing factor to the challenges faced during the event.
Source
Photo credit www.theguardian.com