(Reuters) – Northern Irish snooker player Mark Allen survived a tight first-round at the British Open but after beating Gary Wilson suggested the table they were using should be burned.
World number three Allen let rip after his 4-3 victory, criticising the conditions at the Centaur in Cheltenham.
“The conditions out there are absolutely embarrassing,” Allen told ITV. “It’s some of the worst weather outside and they’ve left the massive transport doors open.
“It’s so cold, it’s so humid, out there. The table needs to be burned. The cushions are unplayable, uncontrollable. It was heavy. The speed was decent.
“There are new guys doing the tables this year and they’re clearly not up to it.”
Allen claimed that his complaints about conditions at tournaments are ignored.
“I complain every single tournament, fill in table report sheets, match report sheets and nothing ever changes,” he said.
Responding to Allen’s criticism, a World Snooker spokesman said: “Our table-fitting team has been consistent for some time and works to the highest standards.
“The weather in the area has seen unprecedented rainfall over the last couple of days which can negatively influence the conditions. We raised the issue of an open door with the venue.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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