In an unusual turn of events at the English Open in Brentwood, a snooker player, Chinese pro Ding Junhui, found himself docked the opening frame of a match due to a wardrobe oversight.
Ding Junhui, 36, inadvertently violated the strict all-black dress code for the tournament, resulting in a forfeit of the initial frame as a penalty for his late arrival. When Ding Junhui arrived for his best-of-seven match against fellow countryman Ma Hailong on Monday, he was clad in his usual brown snooker suit, complete with a bow tie and waistcoat.
Speaking to the World Snooker Tour website, Ding Junhui candidly admitted, "I totally forgot that I needed a black shirt and trousers for this tournament. My memory is not good! I didn't think about it. Once I was playing, I tried to just concentrate on the match."
Despite trailing 3-1 after the initial four frames, the 14-time ranking event champion staged a remarkable comeback, clinching victory by winning the last three frames. Ding Junhui attributed part of his success to his opponent's tactical decisions, stating, "Luckily Ma's safety was not that good, and he gave me enough chances to win."
This incident, though unusual, is not the first time snooker players have encountered clothing-related challenges during matches. In 2022, Judd Trump had to borrow a waistcoat from fellow player Xiao Guodong when his luggage was misplaced en route to the European Masters in Germany. Two decades earlier, Graeme Dott played the initial two frames of his China Open match against Darren Morgan without underpants due to oversleeping as a result of jet lag following a lengthy and delayed 43-hour journey to Shanghai.