Neil Robertson made short work of Wu Yize before leaping to the defence of the UK Championship table fitters after some players criticised the tight nature of the pockets in York.
Kyren Wilson was the latest to bemoan the tough conditions at the Barbican Centre when dumped out of the tournament by Elliot Slessor on Tuesday evening.
However, after turning in a professional display to beat the highly-rated Wu 6-1, Robertson was adamant conditions are just as they should be.
The three-time UK champion told the BBC afterwards: "They're not too tight, they're just keeping everyone honest.
"I think it's catching certain players out, maybe if their technique is not as good as they maybe thought it was.
"Some of these words are probably sounding a little bit harsh, but it's a reality and there will be a lot of pros at home watching saying 'thanks, Neil, for actually speaking out about this.'
"It's been an issue in the game where players having been talking about it, especially in China where people have been getting inflated results."
Give Neil Robertson chances…and he will take them. @allbritish_ | #UKChampionship pic.twitter.com/xS2vag9QDA
— WST (@WeAreWST) December 3, 2025
Robertson is in the middle of a real purple patch at present, having picked up a bumper prize in Saudi Arabia in August and then finished runner-up in another big-money event back there recently.
Having impressed in his opening match against Julien Leclercq on Sunday, he again looked sharp in this last-16 tie, losing the opening frame but dominating thereafter to win six frames on the bounce.
Though no trademark century came, Robertson made breaks of 51, 65, 75 and 68 to progress to the quarter-finals.
On his golden run, Robertson added: "This has probably been the best 12-month spell of my career I think, in terms of where I came from, being 28 [ranked in the world].
"Having a team set up with Joe Perry and my sports psychologist has really helped, my good friend Jamie comes with me to all the events, so I've got a good team I can trust and that's really important.
"When you can buy into ideas of daily, weekly, monthly planning, you see results.
"When I was struggling for six months I was practicing so hard and not getting the results."
"I wasn't too sure if what I was doing was right or wrong, but now I have a group of people behind me and I absolutely trust them.
"I love York, I love coming here. All the Triple Crown events feel so special."
On the adjacent table, Pang Junxu claimed the notable scalp of Mark Williams, running out a 6-3 victor.
Williams actually made two centuries on the day, but Pang won a couple of tight frames early in the match before signing off with breaks of 53 and 116.
In the evening session, Mark Selby and Judd Trump both progressed to the quarter-finals, beating Zhou Yuelong and Si Jiahui respectively.
