Kyren Wilson regains form, Neil Robertson shocked at English Open

Kyren Wilson showed signs of life in a difficult season as he eased past Mateusz Baranowski in the opening round of the English Open in Brentwood. The 34-year-old Englishman came under pressure after losing to Liam Highfield in the last 32 of the British Open last week. Yet against Baranowski, Wilson stayed composed and sealed the match with two consecutive half-century breaks. The win moved him into round two, where he will face Chang Bingyu, the recent Wuhan Open champion. Neil Robertson endured a day to forget. The Australian, a two-time English Open champion, suffered a shock 3-4 defeat to Luo Zetao, a Chinese player ranked 117th in the world. The loss was arguably the biggest upset of the opening day, given Robertson’s clear superiority in ranking and class. Elsewhere, Chris Wakelin won another final-frame decider against Louis Heathcote, while Chinese duo Zhang Anda and Ding Junhui also advanced. The English Open is part of the Home Nations Series on the World Snooker Tour. Wilson’s return to winning ways is a welcome sign for his supporters, but the next test against Chang Bingyu will reveal more about his true form. For Robertson, this early exit serves as a warning in a season where he hopes to reaffirm his status in UK tournaments.