John Higgins has launched a fierce criticism of the playing conditions at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, branding the table “pathetic” after claiming it had been propped up with beer mats to increase its height.
The four-time world champion made the accusation moments after sweeping past China’s Ding Junhui 4–0 to reach the quarter-finals in Saudi Arabia.
Despite the dominant scoreline, both players appeared uncomfortable on the table.
Ding, 38, registered just 47 points across four frames, while Higgins struggled to find rhythm until ending the match with back-to-back 106 breaks.
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With nearly four decades of experience on the professional circuit, the 50-year-old Scot was adamant the conditions were far from acceptable at an event carrying huge financial incentives.
Higgins, who faces defending champion Mark Allen next, said the playing surface was unfit for a tournament offering £250,000 to the winner and an additional $1million bonus for any player who can achieve a rare 167 break – a 147 maximum plus the competition’s special 20-point Golden Ball.
“It was a little bit difficult at the time. I think me and Ding really struggled with the table,” he said.
John Higgins will face Mark Allen in the next round
|PA
“The first couple of frames there wasn’t bite on the table. With me and Ding being only five foot five each, we really struggled with the table.
“It’s as if there are beer mats underneath the whole table, and it’s raised up. Somebody really needs to get told.
"I don’t know who has passed that but it’s pathetic for a million-pound tournament. It really is bad. I don’t know who has passed that.”
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Higgins went further, complaining that there was “no grip whatsoever”, making it difficult to control the cue ball.
“You could probably see the first couple of frames, I am trying to stun the cue-ball and it’s just rolling through," he fumed.
"You can’t stop the cue-ball. I think it’s the cushions. The cushions were playing really, really fast. That makes it very difficult to play on.”
Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry, working as a pundit for the host broadcaster, inspected the table and agreed the raised height was noticeable.
“I actually thought it was part of the design of the table,” he said.
John Higgins was too strong for Ding Junhui in their snooker clash in Riyadh
|PA
“Now, when John pointed it out, it’s incredible how much it has been built up.
"I can only assume the floor is so uneven that they have had to build the table up. As a player, you really feel the difference.”
In response, a World Snooker Tour spokesperson defended the installation, insisting the table conformed to official measurements.
“The table is regulation height in accordance with the WPBSA Official Rules of Snooker, measured from floor to the top of the cushion rail,” a statement read.
“It was, of course, checked pre-event as part of extensive quality checks. The tournament director demonstrated this fact to John after the match to prove all legs of the table were comfortably within regulation tolerance.
"Our leading table fitters are at this event to ensure that the playing conditions are as good as possible and they continue to do a fantastic job.”