Kyren Wilson says he apologised to the referee over throwing his cue on the table after losing a frame at the International Championship in China.

While 57 points behind with 27 remaining in his first round match against Liam Highfield, Wilson conceded the frame after his opponent Liam Highfield missed a yellow.

But as he was walking out of the arena, Wilson threw his cue across the table as the balls were being re-racked for the next frame - and the 2024 world champion received a surprised glare from the match referee. Footage posted on his Chinese social media page has shown Wilson apologising to the referee, who clearly held no hard feelings - and he has now spoken publicly about the incident.

Kyren Wilson responds over International Championship incident

Wilson would recover to beat Highfield 6-5 on Sunday to progress to the second round in Nanjing, where he thrashed Ryan Day 6-1 on Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking to the World Snooker Tour after his victory over Day, Wilson said of the cue incident: "It's a tough one, really. I've always been a fiery character, and I've always had that bit of a temper side in me. That's something that's made me a winner over the years, and I feel like that little bit of fire in your belly is the difference between a winner sometimes.

"It was something that I just needed to get out of my system. I'd just bottled up my emotions for eight frames. I've played Liam for many years, since we were about 11 years old, and he's kind of changed his style of play, if I can just put it lightly. And it just frustrated me over the course of eight frames. I'm not saying it was the right thing to do, but it was the right thing for me to do in that moment, to get myself geed up and going again.

"The only thing I regret is that my anger was outed towards the referee. So I bought him a cupcake before tonight's game, just to say sorry and that it was nothing to do with him. So yeah, I hold my hands up for that. But I never hold my hands up for how passionate I am about the game and about my performances."

More to follow...