YORK, United Kingdom (AFP) - China's Ding Junhui faces punishment for a foul-mouthed rant at the UK Championship where he suffered a shock first round exit against amateur Adam Duffy.

World No. 9 Ding lost 6-2 to 26-year-old builder Duffy and then used his brief 30-second post-match press conference to lambast the event, which sees all 128 players in the tournament starting from the opening round rather than handing byes to the stars of the sport.

"It was crap. F***ing four tables and everything is going wrong," two-time champion Ding raged to the BBC.

"I don't want to say any more about this. It's just crap. It's for amateurs."

The UK Championship is widely regarded as snooker's second biggest event behind the World Championship, said the BBC.

But in 2013, the format changed to a flat draw with 128 players starting in the same round, the broadcaster said, meaning the early stages involved more tables and more cramped conditions, with four in the main hall and four in the sports hall.

Ding's comments have been referred to the disciplinary arm of snooker's governing body, the WPBSA, it added.

Ding is expected to be fined for his outburst, said the BBC, but further sanctions are unlikely.