Mark Allen, the former world No. 1, managed to navigate his way through his opening match at the British Open, but his experience was far from positive as he expressed his dissatisfaction with the playing conditions. In a scathing assessment, Allen criticized the table he played on, labeling the conditions as “absolutely embarrassing” and even suggesting that the table should be “burned.”

The match, which saw Allen edge out Gary Wilson 4-3 without making a break of over 50, took place on table two at the Centaur in Cheltenham. Speaking to ITV, Allen did not hold back in his criticism, stating, “The conditions out there are absolutely embarrassing. 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.”

Allen went on to highlight the specific issues with the table, pointing out that the cushions were “unplayable” and “uncontrollable.” He attributed the challenging conditions to the new personnel in charge of setting up the tables, suggesting that they were not up to standard. Allen emphasized the importance of having suitable playing conditions to ensure a level playing field for all competitors.

Looking ahead to his next match against Aaron Hill, Allen expressed his frustration at the lack of improvement despite his consistent feedback. He mentioned filling in table and match report sheets at every tournament but seeing no changes implemented.

In a final remark on the matter, Allen reiterated his discontent with the conditions, emphasizing that the issues have persisted throughout the season and have not met the expected standards. Despite his criticisms, Allen managed to secure victory in his opening match and will be hoping for better conditions in his future matches at the British Open.