Kyren Wilson launched a scathing attack on the “unplayable” table conditions at the UK Championship after suffering a shock first-round exit to Elliot Slessor, admitting he had felt mentally beaten from the opening frame.
The world No 2, one of the tournament favourites, was defeated 6–4 in York and left the Barbican Centre visibly deflated, repeatedly putting his head in his hands as he struggled to adapt to what he described as unpredictable cloth and excessively tight pockets.
Wilson did not hide his frustration afterwards.
“Just guesswork. [The] table was awful, [the] cue was awful,” he said when asked what went wrong.
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“Just very lost at the minute, to be honest.
"I mentally gave up as soon as I missed the pink in the first frame, but tried my hardest.
"When you do not know where the balls are going to go - especially on tight pockets and unplayable conditions - it’s a recipe for disaster.”
Five quirky facts about snooker | PAHe added that the early miss had left him wanting the floor to open beneath him.
“I gave it my all. I wanted the world to swallow me up as soon as I missed the pink in the first frame," he added.
"It’s been a nightmare. You can’t win matches in this tournament using a cue first thing this morning.”
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Elliot Slessor was too strong for Kyren Wilson in their UK Championship match
|PA
The 33-year-old was particularly angered by the pocket settings, claiming they had been tightened unnecessarily and contributed to the sense that he was striking blind.
“It’s the last of the first round. The pockets are already tight,” he said.
“I don’t understand why they needed tightening. I get it for China, but here they played fine.
"Unplayable. I hit a few balls I thought were in. When you’re guessing with your cue as well, you feel as though you’re playing to nothing because there’s nothing to aim at.”
At times, Wilson admitted he contemplated walking off.
“When the tables are so difficult, I just didn’t want to be out there, I wanted to shake his hand and walk out but people pay good money to watch you play snooker," he said.
Kyren Wilson was powerless to prevent his exit from the UK Championship
|PA
"I battled, gave it my all, but not to be.”
Slessor, who delivered one of the standout wins of his career, had also voiced concerns about the playing conditions, though Wilson insisted his opponent deserved credit for handling the situation more effectively.
“I have to obviously congratulate Elliot because he stuck in there and I think I dragged him down a little bit,” he said. “I wish him well for the rest of the tournament.”
Wilson’s early departure adds another unexpected twist to a championship already missing several big names, with Ronnie O'Sullivan also crashing out on Tuesday.