Masters 2021 – ‘Never seen it’ – Kyren Wilson uses lighter to fix dodgy cue tip against Gary Wilson

ByBen Snowball

Updated 10/01/2021 at 16:12 GMT

“It’s not ideal that you’re having to make running repairs to your tip three frames into the Masters”, said Philip Studd on Eurosport commentary duty. He wasn’t wrong. Kyren Wilson probably wasn’t expecting to whip out a lighter at all, let alone so early into the first Triple Crown event of 2021, but he did what he had to do.

Kyren Wilson was forced to get creative to fix a dodgy cue tip during his opening match at the Masters.

The 29-year-old grabbed a lighter and set about burning the tip in just the third frame of his clash with Gary Wilson.

The bizarre moment was perhaps best summed up by Philip Studd on Eurosport commentary duties: “It’s not ideal that you’re having to make running repairs to your tip three frames into the Masters.”

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'You don't see that often' - Kyren Wilson uses lighter to fix tip

‘Never seen it done’

Jimmy White and Neal Foulds in the Eurosport studio tried to explain Wilson’s one-man pyrotechnics display.

“If it’s slightly fraying, the tip, you can either do it with sandpaper or you can get the lighter and it does it really quick,” said White.

“He’s out there on TV, wants it done quick. There are slight fibres fraying on the tip and it’s a way of getting rid of it. It saves getting the sandpaper out.”

Foulds added: “I’ve never seen it done. I know it’s a popular thing now. Plenty of people want to set fire to their cue, but for different reasons. Genuinely, it’s one way of getting rid of the thing!”

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