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Mike Chan

World No 2 and former snooker world champion Kyren Wilson blasted the “poor scheduling” of the World Grand Prix after crashing out in the first round of yet another ranking tournament this season, losing 5-2 to Xiao Guodong in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
World No 10 Xiao and Wilson both capitalised on each other’s mistakes in the opening frames but it was the Chinese player who prevailed in the fourth frame to take a 3-1 lead at the break.
Wilson, the 2024 world champion, showed resilience to stay in the match but Wuhan Open winner Xiao got the job done to seal a 5-2 win.
“I struggled today and Xiao played very, very good. I was just trying to hang on to him,” Wilson said.
“Probably the decisive frame would have been frame four; he made a good clearance to go 3-1 instead of 2-2.
“So I think he gained confidence from that. But if it goes 2-2 at the interval, maybe it could be a different scoreline.”

Wilson, who won his first-round match last year despite the notorious Kai Tak Arena curfew, also said he was still playing catch-up with his new cue, before blasting the scheduling of events by the sport’s world governing body.
“I feel bad for this tournament, to be honest. I think the Hong Kong World Grand Prix deserves to be better,” the 34-year-old from England said. “Straight from Germany, it’s very, very difficult to arrive here.
“One or two days’ practice and sleep, and then try to perform in such a fantastic event. I find it a little bit disheartening; it’s quite sad because I think Hong Kong has a very special place on the World Snooker Tour.”
The inaugural Hong Kong edition of the World Grand Prix was held in early March last year, just days after the World Open in Yushan, China.
“I think that would work perfectly fine if we’re out here already; it makes sense to do one back-to-back,” Wilson said. “I had to leave my family; we travelled separately, so it was just crazy, crazy scheduling.
“I was told yesterday that my game had changed to today. I was supposed to be playing tomorrow. So again, poor scheduling.”
The South China Morning Post was told that last year’s event was played in March because Kai Tak Sports Park was opened only that month and the World Snooker Tour found an available slot for the six-day tournament in the city.
In 11 previous editions in the United Kingdom, the competition was held between December and March.
Earlier, even jet lag and some serious lack of sleep could not deny Mark Selby from delivering a performance strong enough to whitewash Aaron Hill and reach the second round.
English former world champion Selby was as solid as ever, producing five 50-plus breaks in as many frames to shut down Irishman Hill and head into the next round with a potential encounter against John Higgins or Zhou Xintong.

“I arrived only yesterday afternoon, and got told only the day before that my game had been changed,” the four-time world champion, who last won in 2021, said. “If I’d have arrived yesterday and played Wednesday, I think I’d have been OK.
“I didn’t sleep great last night, maybe only two or three hours, but you know, I played good, the game was crazy.”
Competing in the city for the second year in a row, the tournament second seed said the tournament arena at Kai Tak Sports Park was “good and very big”.
“The venue is very, very impressive; hopefully, I can keep on doing well and get to the weekend,” said the world No 6. “I’m sure the crowds will get better as the tournament goes on.”
In the evening session, Wu Yize of China stormed back to escape a first-round exit with a 5-3 win over Scotland’s Anthony McGill.
With little evidence of his exquisite “scoring power” – in Ronnie O’Sullivan’s words – Wu trailed 3-1 at the break. But the 22-year-old reeled off four straight frames with breaks of 65, 77, 112 and 81 to turn the match around in style.
Compatriot Zhang Anda also advanced after he beat Mark Williams of Wales 5-2, taking over the match with three consecutive frames after a 2-2 start.


China star Zhao Xintong says he is still learning after winning World Grand Prix title

Zhao Xintong wins World Grand Prix title in Hong Kong to keep finals record intact

Zhang Anda laments paltry Hong Kong crowd as he reaches World Grand Prix final

World Snooker Tour CEO defends scheduling of events after player complaints in Hong Kong

World Snooker

Kyren Wilson blasts ‘poor scheduling’ of snooker World Grand Prix in Hong Kong after loss

World No 2 and former world champion Kyren Wilson crashed out in the first round to Xiao Guodong in Hong Kong. Photo: Elson Li

Xiao Guodong beat Kyren Wilson 5-2 at the snooker World Grand Prix in Hong Kong. Photo: Elson Li

Mark Selby easily beat Aaron Hill at the World Grand Prix snooker at Kai Tak Sports Park on Tuesday. Photo: Elson Li

Ronnie O’Sullivan to make rare Hong Kong appearance, but plans little snooker in 2026

Snooker stars (from left) Wu Yize, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Allen attend a  welcome ceremony for the World Grand Prix at Peak Galleria. Photo: Dickson Lee

Judd Trump is one of four players whose arrival in Hong Kong has been delayed by the German Masters. Photo: Getty Images

Milano Cortina Winter Olympics: Hong Kong skiers, skaters form city’s largest squad ever

Sports minister Rosanna (left) Law presents the Hong Kong flag to members of the city’s Winter Olympics delegation. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong Winter Olympians (from left) Eloise King, Darren Kwok and Joey Lam. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Sport

Hong Kong

Other Sport

World No 2 loses to Xiao Guodong; earlier in the day, English former world champion Mark Selby reaches the second round after beating Aaron Hill


World No 2 loses to Xiao Guodong; earlier in the day, English former world champion Mark Selby reaches the second round after beating Aaron Hill.


Kai Tak Sports Park

Kyren Wilson blasts ‘poor scheduling’ of snooker World Grand Prix in Hong Kong after loss

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}World No 2 loses to Xiao Guodong; earlier in the day, English former world champion Mark Selby reaches the second round after beating Aaron Hill

World No 2 loses to Xiao Guodong; earlier in the day, English former world champion Mark Selby reaches the second round after beating Aaron Hill