JUDD TRUMP and Neil Robertson slammed the “unplayable” table conditions in York which marred their UK Championship clash.
Both former world champions were unhappy with the playing surface of the baize and the quality of the cushions as they tussled in the last-32.
Both Judd Trump and Neil Robertson were left frustrated and disappointed with playing conditions at the UK Championship after their first round clash
The world No.1 recovered to beat Robertson 6-3 and set up a last-16 tie with Higgins
Robertson believes the conditions were ‘unplayable’
At 3-1 down at the mid-session interval, Trump returned to the action and clinched the next five frames with breaks of 73, 126 and 67 to progress with a 6-3 result.
But the two cueists walked away feeling frustrated with the situation they experienced in the sport’s second-biggest tournament.
Trump, 35, said: “I’ve played in some bad conditions but that was close!
“It’s disappointing as it always seems to be in the big events over here. Very heavy all of the time. The cushions were bouncy and heavy.
“From the first day, they didn’t look great. Hopefully they can do something about it. I think all of the players are struggling. It’s disappointing for the people watching.”
Australian potter Robertson, 42, said: “The table was pretty much as unplayable as it gets for professional conditions. That was as tough as I’ve ever played.
“It’s such a tough sport, it can make either player look stupid. The only people who can be critical of our shots and performances are ourselves. Neither of us could play at our level.
“It could probably do with a new cloth. Maybe it wasn’t warm enough in the arena.”
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Scotland’s four-time world champion John Higgins – who plays Trump in the last-16 on Thursday – was a 6-0 winner over China’s He Guoqiang.
Yet the afternoon session was suspended for up to 20 minutes when the Barbican arena was cleared as a fan fell ill – the man was conscious and seen talking to paramedics.
Higgo, 49, said: “It happens quite a lot now. It’s so warm in the auditorium now.
“Some of the older generation come and you feel for them because it gets really warm in there.
“That’s what has happened. I hope the gentleman is okay.”
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
1969 – John Spencer
1970 – Ray Reardon
1971 – John Spencer
1972 – Alex Higgins
1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
1977 – John Spencer (2)
1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
1979 – Terry Griffiths
1980 – Cliff Thorburn
1981 – Steve Davis
1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
1983 – Steve Davis (2)
1984 – Steve Davis (3)
1985 – Dennis Taylor
1986 – Joe Johnson
1987 – Steve Davis (4)
1988 – Steve Davis (5)
1989 – Steve Davis (6)
1990 – Stephen Hendry
1991 – John Parrott
1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 – Ken Doherty
1998 – John Higgins
1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 – Mark Williams
2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
2002 – Peter Ebdon
2003 – Mark Williams (2)
2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
2005 – Shaun Murphy
2006 – Graeme Dott
2007 – John Higgins (2)
2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
2009 – John Higgins (3)
2010 – Neil Robertson
2011 – John Higgins (4)
2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
2014 – Mark Selby
2015 – Stuart Bingham
2016 – Mark Selby (2)
2017 – Mark Selby (3)
2018 – Mark Williams (3)
2019 – Judd Trump
2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
2021 – Mark Selby (4)
2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
2023 – Luca Brecel
2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
2 – Alex Higgins
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