BBC legend Steve Davis unimpressed by crowd's behaviour at the Masters and calls them out

Snooker legend Steve Davis criticised the Alexandra Palace crowd for their rowdy behaviour at The Masters. The six-time world champion appealed for spectators to show more respect after semi-finalist Wu Yize faced chants of his name throughout his 6-5 semi-final loss to Kyren Wilson.

The 22-year-old prospect narrowly missed out on reaching Sunday's final as his Masters debut concluded in the semi-finals, which were interrupted by a mobile phone ringing in the crowd. While Wu showed no outward sign the repeated chanting of his name during crucial moments affected him, it would be reasonable to suspect the Chinese player found it distracting.

Consequently, Davis voiced his opinion that The Masters commanded too much prestige for such behaviour. He proposed these antics were better suited to events like the Snooker Shoot Out, where supporters are actively encouraged to sing and chant.

"Different type of match for Wu Yize here," he said in the BBC studio during a break. "It's the first time he's had a sticky sort of part [during] a match in this tournament. It's gonna be interesting to see how he copes with that..

"Gotta say, call me old fashioned, right. This 'Wuu' lark, it's not for me. Save that for the Shootout. It's Mickey Mouse, as far as I'm concerned."

Fellow BBC pundit and World Championship winner Ken Doherty could be heard in the background offering a playful groan in response. The Irishman grinned as he told his co-pundit "Come on," seemingly suggesting he was being overly critical of the supporters.

Presenter Hazel Irvine intervened, attempting to ease any friction by proposing tournament organisers might be deliberately encouraging such atmosphere to enhance the spectacle. Davis, however, remained unmoved.

"Feels like it's comedy at the moment," he continued. "That the crowd like it [with too much] comedy. I wouldn't like it. I wouldn't like it as Wu."

Doherty then agreed, acknowledging he wouldn't appreciate being subjected to such chants either. While the atmosphere may be light-hearted, showing proper respect towards competitors should remain the priority at any Triple Crown occasion.

Wu eventually fell to Wilson, who recovered from trailing 5-4 to claim the final two frames and book his place in Sunday's showpiece. His opponent will be two-time Masters champion John Higgins, who is seeking to end a 20-year wait for a third title in this event after also expressing frustration with spectators during his semi-final.

Wilson has reached the Masters final twice previously but has yet to capture the trophy at Alexandra Palace. This might partly stem from his reservations about the venue, which stages this competition just days after the more boisterous World Darts Championship.

"The Masters is a real showpiece event now for snooker, but it is hard for players to settle in there," he told 247Bet earlier this month. "It's quite unique in terms of a playing environment. It's hard wading through all those empty beer barrels that all of the darts fans have gone through."