Top referee Michaela Tabb has toughed it out in some luxurious five-star hotels in her time as a worldwide traveller, not least while on duty for events such as pool’s Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas. The Scottish official, on duty at the BetVictor Welsh Open, admits to a weakness for time spent in the MGM Grand and Mirage hotels in the Nevada desert – but was faced with slightly different accommodation in Newport. World Snooker officials and tournament staff, traditionally housed for this event in the Hilton by the M4, found themselves in the humbler surroundings of the Newport Central Travelodge – alongside fans, lower-ranked players (and freelance journalists). When asked to compare the facilities with the Bellagio with its magnificent fountains, Tabb would only offer a tactful: “No comment.”