Kyren Wilson rediscovers winning feeling at English Open after difficult spell

Kyren Wilson did not need a spectacular victory to change the story, but he needed a win to stop doubting himself. The Englishman got that in Brentwood by beating Mateusz Baranowski of Poland in the first round of the English Open. That result sent him into the second round, where he will face Chang Bingyu, the player who recently won the Wuhan Open. For Wilson, a season that has been full of difficulties is slowly taking shape, so leaving the table with the right feeling matters more than the scoreline. Just days earlier, Wilson had suffered a heavy defeat against Liam Highfield in the last 32 of the British Open in Cheltenham. That was not a close contest, but a match in which Wilson looked locked in from the start. He lacked touch on his long potting, made poor decisions at crucial moments and failed to keep any rhythm. Before the English Open, many observers wondered whether Wilson could find his way again. That is why the win over Baranowski carried extra meaning. It was not only Wilson's first victory in a difficult period; it also showed that he had regained enough calm to handle a tricky opponent. He built his game on well-judged safety shots, waited for Baranowski to miss and took his chances cleanly. Two consecutive half-centuries helped him cross the line without allowing the match to turn into a tense scrap. What stood out was that Wilson did not need to be spectacular. He won through better table reading and control, exactly what had disappeared against Highfield. The 34-year-old looked more patient, moved around the table with a slower rhythm and accepted long safety exchanges. In a short-format tournament, that kind of win can be a stronger base than a flashy but fragile performance. The real test, however, will arrive in the second round when Wilson meets Chang Bingyu. The Chinese player has just lifted the Wuhan Open trophy and is enjoying the best spell of his career. This is the kind of opponent Wilson cannot take lightly, especially when his own consistency is still under question. Chang Bingyu is not only a heavy scorer but also a composed match-player in short matches, where one mistake can change the whole outcome. If Wilson can stay as calm as he did against Baranowski, he can make it a balanced contest. But if his rhythm disappears again like in Cheltenham, round two will become yet another unwanted early exit this season. Top-level snooker does not forgive hesitation, and Wilson knows that better than anyone. Elsewhere, Neil Robertson suffered a shock exit on the opening day. The two-time English Open winner lost 4-3 to Luo Zetao, a Chinese player ranked 117th in the world. It was a major surprise because Robertson was the clear favourite. But in short matches, class does not always win. Luo Zetao played steady snooker, took full advantage of Robertson's lapses and sealed the match with a composed finish in the deciding frame. Robertson's defeat shows how demanding the English Open is from the very first round. Players outside the top 100 are no longer afraid of facing big names. They prepare better, move around the table with more belief and are not afraid to enter deciding frames. Robertson will have to wait for another chance, while Luo Zetao's win will inspire young players looking for recognition on the ranking circuit. Chris Wakelin also had a difficult day. He needed another final-frame decider, this time against Louis Heathcote. Wakelin won, but his performance showed that his matches rarely have a comfortable margin. That may be exciting for the crowd, but it raises questions about his consistency if he meets stronger opponents later in the tournament. Zhang Anda and Ding Junhui both won their first-round matches to keep Chinese hopes alive in Brentwood. Their presence, along with Chang Bingyu and Luo Zetao, shows that Chinese snooker players are improving rapidly on the international stage. They now have both quantity and depth, from scoring ability to the mental strength required in decisive moments. Looking back at the opening day of the English Open, the tournament kept its usual unpredictability. Big names are not allowed to make mistakes, while young players are ready to create upsets. Neil Robertson leaving early is a warning to everyone who thinks reputation can replace form. For Kyren Wilson, the victory over Mateusz Baranowski is not the final answer, but at least he has a foundation to move forward. One win does not define a season, but it can open up a new rhythm. The remaining question is how Wilson will use that rhythm when he faces Chang Bingyu. Brentwood may only be a small stop on a long calendar, but for a player trying to find himself again, every win is a new layer of experience. If Wilson keeps his calm, controls the table and avoids rushing his decisive shots, he can turn an ordinary day into a turning point. If not, he will face the same old questions about consistency and nerve. Kyren Wilson has won. The real issue now is not how many more matches he can win, but whether he has enough patience to rebuild his own foundations after a difficult period. The English Open is still long, and every answer will be found on the table, frame after frame, shot after shot.