Masters 2026: World snooker dismisses schedule concerns

World Snooker dismissed concerns about the level of the table at the Masters, saying it had found “no” issues.

The second Triple Crown event of the season kicked off on Sunday at London’s Alexandra Palace. With defending champion Shaun Murphy and current British titleholder Mark Selby falling at the first hurdle to Chinese duo Wu Yizi and Xiao Guodong.

While both results are surprising, and not for the first time this season, the focus quickly turned to the playing conditions which were criticized by seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry and six-time Crucible winner Steve Davis.

Both cited a problem with balls deflecting off the line and clinging to the cushions before landing in the corner pockets in both contests.

“There’s something wrong with the table,” Davis said during Xiao’s win over Selby.

“It happened this afternoon. The balls are hugging the rail. The top boards need to be leveled. The table installers need to come out and check the level of the top board.

“If those balls were hugging the top rail, it would make the game too easy to make big breaks. It’s also wrong for the ball to go in so easily. It seems like this is not level.”

In response, organizers of the invitation-only Masters tournament, which typically features the world’s top 16 players, said: “The schedule is checked before, during and after each match, as is normal in any event.

“We strive to provide the best playing conditions possible and our team of table installation experts does a fantastic job.”