"Are you alright?" Snooker star bemused by shocking Wuhan Open performance
Michael Holt issued a scathing self-assessment of his performance following his whitewash defeat at the 2026 Wuhan Open.
World number 48 Holt was left puzzled by what happened during his round of 32 exit to Daniel Wells on Tuesday in the £825,000 world ranking event.
Earlier this summer, the former Snooker Shoot Out ranking event champion won a qualifying match held in Leicester to make it through to the main venue stages in Wuhan where he received a walkover in the last 64 due to Mark Allen’s withdrawal.
Holt’s encounter with Wells - a player only seven places below him in the global standings - had the makings of being a keenly-contested affair, but the outcome was anything but.
Wells registered a 5-0 win, highlighted by breaks of 56 and 60. Not only did Holt not win a frame, but he scored only 19 points throughout the entire tie.
No excuses from Holt as he brands his Wuhan performance as “awful”
Whilst travelling back home, the two-time UK Championship quarter-finalist posted a video on his Michael Holt Snooker Coaching Facebook page where he tried to process what went on during his very heavy loss, not holding back on his own display after congratulating his opponent.
“Firstly, well done to Daniel...he did the job” said the 47-year-old. “I was shocking. I'm actually a bit in shock how bad I played there. I don't know where it came from.”
After explaining that his preparations went well, a perplexed Holt added: “But when I went out there I was shocking. I really don't know what happened there. Missed a few testy ones, and...pfft...awful.
“I had people like texting me going "are you alright?
“People were moaning about the conditions but they were alright, no excuses, it was just me. Yeah, I was awful.
“I've got to get back and just put the hours in because that's not good enough. Yeah, we go again.”
The result is even more surprising when you consider Holt’s good start to the season, and his recent head-to-head record against Wells. Before Wuhan, Holt had won their last four meetings on the top flight.
The Nottingham cueist has qualified for several venues this campaign already, and compiled his first maximum 147 break in professional competition at the China Open preliminaries - a feat that earned him a £15,000 bonus.
Holt doesn’t have long to wait for the opportunity to make things better, as his next engagement on the World Snooker Tour comes next week at the 2026 British Open in Cheltenham. Having ousted Ka Wai Cheung, 4-3, in the qualifiers a few weeks ago, Holt is scheduled to face rookie Phil O’Kane in the last 64 on Tuesday evening.
To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 Wuhan Open snooker, visit our tournament information centre here.