Kyren Wilson revives on English Open opening day as Neil Robertson suffers shock defeat

The opening day of the 2026 English Open in Brentwood produced two contrasting moments. Kyren Wilson finally smiled after beating Mateusz Baranowski, while Neil Robertson walked off with his head down after a shocking 4-3 loss to Luo Zetao, ranked 117th in the world. Wilson, the 2026 world champion, has been enduring a difficult season. Last week, Liam Highfield thrashed him in the last 32 of the British Open in Cheltenham. Against Baranowski, Wilson slowed the game down and secured victory with two consecutive half-centuries. He will now face Chang Bingyu, the recent Wuhan Open winner, in round two. The biggest surprise was Robertson's exit. The two-time English Open champion could not handle Luo Zetao's fearless approach. Luo attacked with confidence and punished Robertson's mistakes in the deciding frame. Chris Wakelin also won another final-frame decider against Louis Heathcote, while Zhang Anda and Ding Junhui progressed. This result raises questions about Robertson's stubbornness under pressure. Wilson's form needs a real test, and Chang Bingyu will provide exactly that in the next round.