Mark Allen targets World Snooker Championship glory after easing Crucible fears with epic English Open victory against Zhou Yuelong

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Mark Allen completed his return to glory by sealing a remarkable triumph at the English Open that saw him rack up five deciding-frame victories on his way to lifting the Steve Davis Trophy. The former world No. 1 led Zhou Yuelong 7-3 then trailed 8-7 on Sunday night, before claiming the final two frames to secure a first ranking title victory since the Players Championship in February 2024.

'Extraordinarily dramatic!' - Allen survives his FIFTH decider to take English Open title

Video credit: TNT Sports

Mark Allen has eased fears he will have to negotiate qualifying for the World Championship in April by completing an epic 9-8 win over Zhou Yuelong in the final of the English Open in Brentwood.

The Northern Irishman celebrated the 12th ranking triumph of his professional career on Sunday, and his first since lifting the Players Championship at the outset of 2024, by earning a £100,000 winner's cheque and kissing the Steve Davis Trophy.

But the value of his return to title-winning form is set to be realised in the months ahead, with a place in the invitational Champion of Champions in November nailed down and a spot at the Crucible also on the cards.

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Allen was outside the top 16 seeds for the World Championship before his trip to Essex, but ends the week in 14th spot on the provisional list.

He is now looking good to avoid having to play two fraught rounds of qualifiers in April at the sport's blue-chip tournament in Sheffield.

As well as securing automatic spots at the UK Championship and non-ranking Masters as part of the sport's elite, the Antrim man is also set to earn a place in the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong and Players Championship in Telford, both in February, via the one-year list, further boosting his Crucible prospects.

‘I think I’ve given value for money this week!’ – Allen jokes after five straight deciders

Video credit: TNT Sports

Allen was forced to do it the hard way at the English Open, the first of the four Home Nations Events live on TNT Sports and discovery+, as he completed final-frame wins over Stuart Bingham (4-3), Ding Junhui (4-3), Elliot Slessor (5-0) and Jak Jones (6-5) before making it fifth time lucky by denying Zhou at the death.

The world No. 7 trailed Ding 3-0 in the last 16, Slessor 4-0 in the quarter-finals and Jones 5-3 in the last four, but produced some fine scoring form to reach the final before gritty match-winning efforts of 71 and 64 against Zhou were enough to end his 18-month trophy drought.

"I think the least you can ask for from any player is application," he told reporters. "So many guys would have given up in some of the positions I was in this week.

"I think other people know now that I am never beat. That is worth a frame itself sometimes."

It was also the second time he had defeated Zhou in a major final after his 9-4 success in the 2022 Northern Ireland Open final in Belfast.

"I want to win as many different tournaments as I can," said 39-year-old Allen, who is aiming to become his country's first world champion since Dennis Taylor in 1985.

"The Welsh Open is the only Home Nations event I haven’t won. Then the World Championship. Those are the two that stand out for me that are missing on my CV."

World No. 30 Zhou has tasted defeats in four ranking finals since 2020, but has vowed to learn from his latest setback.

"Of course, it will give me confidence," he said. "Mark was very good in the first session. He was 6-2 up and I think I just wanted to give him some trouble this evening.

"I’m very happy I managed to get 8-7 up. It is a good experience and I will learn from it."

Allen is due to return to action against Jiang Jun on Tuesday in the first round of the British Open in Cheltenham, but Zhou will have the week off after losing 4-2 to Stan Moody in qualifying in June.

Latest world rankings after English Open

1. Judd Trump (Eng) 1,881,200
2. Kyren Wilson (Engl) 1,336,800
3. Neil Robertson (Aus) 1,053,950
4. Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) 932,500
5. Mark Williams (Wal) 809,000
6. John Higgins (Sco) 759,250
7. Mark Allen (NI) 642,400
8. Ding Junhui (Chn) 630,500
9. Xiao Guodong (Chn) 578,900
10. Mark Selby (Eng) 555,500
11. Zhao Xintong (Chn) 553,400
12. Barry Hawkins (Eng) 520,050
13. Zhang Anda (Chn) 482,950
14. Chris Wakelin (Eng) 474,800
15. Si Jiahui (Chn) 453,600
16. Shaun Murphy (Eng) 439,400

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