Defending champion Mark Allen is eyeing up the Champion of Champions trophy again after booking his spot in the semi-finals on Monday night.
The Pistol came through the opening group of the tournament, beating World Seniors champion Igor Figueiredo 4-2 and then downing World Championship finalist Jak Jones 6-4.
It was a tough scrap with the Welshman after Jones took a 3-0 lead, including a brilliant break of 137 in the third frame, looking very good indeed.
The world number three showed his quality, though, with breaks of 72, 64, 104, 66 and 82 to win five on the spin. Jones made another ton (104) but Allen got over the line in the 10th.
The Northern Irishman now has a few days off, coming back for a big semi-final match on Friday.
‘I love these ITV events, I don’t know what it is about them,’ Allen said after the win. ‘I love this tournament, this is one of my favourites on the calendar, it always has been.
‘You need to really earn your right to get into this. I don’t want to come here just to get to a semi-final, though, I want to come here and win it.’
On the tough match with Jones, the 38-year-old added: ‘At 3-0 down I was frustrated. I tried to increase my tempo. That’s why I went for a 147 in the fourth frame, I felt I needed something like that to get me back into the game. I played some good stuff after that, although I won a couple of frames which I could have lost.’
Posting on social media on Tuesday morning, Allen wrote: ‘Very happy to get through yesterday. Two very tough games. Some good stuff and some not so good from me. Few days at home before my semi on Friday night.’
His opponent in the semi-finals is yet to be decided but it looks likely to be a stellar contest whoever comes through Thursday’s group.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is due to play Xiao Guodong in the opening game on Thursday, followed by Mark Selby taking on Shaun Murphy and then the winners meeting for the chance to play Allen.
O’Sullivan, Selby and Murphy need little introduction, but it is Xiao who is the form horse of the four as he won the Wuhan Open last month and reached the semi-finals of the International Championship just last week.
The Rocket has pulled out of a number of events this season shortly before they start, and he did so at the Champion of Champions last year, but he remains in the draw just two days before he is due to play Xiao.
Tuesday’s group sees Mark Williams play women’s world champion Bai Yulu and then world champ Kyren Wilson take on Luca Brecel.
The winner of that group will meet one of Ding Junhui, Judd Trump, Ali Carter and Neil Robertson in Friday’s first semi-final.
Source link
