Snooker legend Steve Davis has sparked controversy at the Masters by publicly criticising the condition of the tournament tables, declaring they were not level and making the game "incredibly easy" for players.
Davis Raises Alarm During BBC Coverage
The six-time world champion, working as a pundit for the BBC at Alexandra Palace, first voiced his concerns during the afternoon session on Sunday. His comments came as reigning champion Shaun Murphy suffered a shock 6-2 defeat to China's 22-year-old rising star, Wu Yize.
Davis's issue became apparent after the first frame. As Yize lined up a difficult shot on a red tight against the top cushion, the camera angle showed the ball rolling remarkably close to the rail before dropping into the top-right pocket. Fellow commentator Stephen Hendry noted the ease of the pot, but Davis focused on a potential equipment fault.
"It was concerning what happened at the top of the table with that red going in," Davis stated. "The table fitters need to look at that because that is wrong."
Persistent Complaints Overshadow Play
Despite Yize's dominant performance against the world number seven, Davis continued to highlight the problem. His concerns resurfaced in the third frame after another seemingly straightforward pot along the cushion.
"I don't want to put a downer on everything," Davis said, "But that pink along the cushion and the shot, the way we used to play it, he knows full well, the table is not effectively level at the top. It's going to hug the top rail."
He directly advised the tournament organisers, emphasising the need for immediate checks. "I don't know if they do, but the table fitters need to go out and check the level of the top slate," he urged. "If those balls are hugging that top rail, then it's going to make the game incredibly easy to make big breaks. It's also wrong that a ball should go in that easily."
Focus Shifts from Murphy's Exit
The discussion around the table conditions became a major talking point, partly overshadowing the significant upset of Murphy's early exit. The issue was also noted during the evening session, which saw Mark Selby defeated by Xiao Guodong.
Davis was careful to clarify that his complaint was not about pocket sizes, which had been a topic at the UK Championship, but specifically about the level of the slate. The tournament continued on Monday evening with world champion Zhao Xintong beginning his campaign against Gary Wilson.
