Barry Hawkins progressed to the second round of the World Snooker Championship with a commanding 10-4 triumph over Matthew Stevens at the Crucible, yet the world number 11 expressed frustration with playing conditions on Table 2.
The Welsh Open champion voiced concerns about the sidebars being excessively bouncy, making cue ball control problematic throughout the first-round encounter.
“I don’t like slating the conditions off because the fitters do a great job,” Hawkins said.
“I don’t know if it’s their fault or not, really, but the cushions, for day one, they’re just coming off so much quicker than they’re going on.”
Barry Hawkins hit out at the conditions at the Crucible and the WST have responded
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Stevens shared similar reservations about the table following his defeat.
The Londoner elaborated on how the unpredictable cushions disrupted the rhythm of play, explaining that players could find themselves perfectly positioned one moment and completely out of position the next.
“It’s obviously hard to control the cue ball then, you lose cue ball a bit more often,” he stated.
“One minute you’re in position and the next minute you’re out of position. End of break.”
Hawkins, who claimed his first Crucible victory in five years, issued a stark warning about deteriorating conditions as the tournament progresses.
Barry Hawkins is into round two for the first time since 2021! 💪
The Hawk overcame a fellow former finalist to advance.
Watch the full interview with the link in the replies 📺 pic.twitter.com/iPZUcNU9sm
— WST (@WeAreWST) April 19, 2026
“I don’t know what it’s going to be like when people are coming in on Tuesday when they’ve had four days play. It’s going to be like a ping-pong table,” he cautioned.
With his next match not scheduled until Friday, Hawkins speculated the situation could deteriorate further and suggested tournament organisers might need to replace the cushions, noting they sometimes have spare sets available.
He offered a potential explanation for the issue, suggesting that doors being left open during installation may have allowed moisture to affect the cushions.
“When they were installing it, they’ve had all the doors open, getting all the set ready and everything,” he explained, adding that reducing fresh air exposure might help conditions improve.
Hawkins also praised Ronnie O’Sullivan’s exceptional ability to adapt swiftly to challenging table conditions, describing him as the best he has witnessed at making rapid adjustments.
World Snooker Tour swiftly responded to Hawkins’ criticism with an official statement defending their technical staff.
The WST hit back at Barry Hawkins after his complaints on Sunday
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“There are always challenges in providing the best possible conditions for players as there are many factors which affect this,” WST said.
The governing body emphasised their commitment to maintaining standards at the Sheffield venue.
“Our dedicated team of table fitters work tirelessly in delivering the best possible conditions and they are constantly monitoring the tables,” the statement continued.
“We have systems in place where players can give feedback after every match.”
