Three of the world's top 16 were beaten in the first round of the Wuxi Classic in China on Tuesday.
Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui and Martin Gould all crashed out of the first ranking event of the season.
2010 world champion Robertson was beaten 5-1 by Scotland's Jamie Burnett, while China's Junhui suffered a 5-2 defeat to Mark Davis, and Jamie Cope knocked out world number 14 Gould 5-3.
World championship runner-up Ali Carter was also a first round casualty.
The world number 17, who was a finalist at the Crucible in 2008 and 2012, went down 5-3 to Ireland's Fergal O'Brien.
Masters champion Robertson only hit one break above 50 in his defeat to Burnett.
"It's always a good feeling to beat a top player," Burnett, who reached the final of the Shanghai Masters in 2010, said.
"I think the scoreline is flattering to say the least and I think it's 5-1 because Neil didn't play well, not because I played well.
"It's not often that a top player struggles, but when they do you have to take advantage of it, you have to take your chances."
World number 39 Burnett will play Davis in the next round.
On Monday, Mark Selby booked his place in the second round with a 5-2 win over Barry Hawkins.
The world number one now feels he has finally recovered from the neck injury that blighted him at the end of last season.
"At the end of last season I was worried about whether I'd be able to play again or whether it would go completely, and whether I'd have the chance to perform and keep playing," said Selby.
"But the problem is 90% gone and I'm playing without much discomfort. I'm just happy to be playing again. To be here is a bonus but to perform the way I did on the first game of the season, I'm over the moon."
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