Mark Allen staged a strong comeback at the World Snooker Championship, recovering from what he described as an “absolutely embarrassing” start to defeat Zhang Anda 10-6 and book his place in the last 16.
Allen had struggled in Saturday’s opening session at the Crucible Theatre, trailing 5-3 without registering a single break over 50. The performance left him visibly frustrated, later admitting he stepped away from the sport for the evening, spending time with friends watching football and, by his own account, indulging in “a few drinks” and “bad food.”
The reset appeared to work. Returning on Sunday, the 40-year-old looked transformed. He opened the session with a superb 140 clearance, immediately shifting momentum, and followed it with a break of 109. A third century of 129 within five frames brought him to the brink of victory, before he sealed the match with a composed break of 81.
Zhang, who has now exited in the first round in all six of his appearances at the Crucible, struggled to respond. Reports indicate he managed just 42 points across the final six frames, as Allen took full control of the match.
Speaking after the win, Allen did not hide his disappointment with his earlier display, describing it as “very frustrating” and admitting he had been “completely gutted.” However, he suggested lowering expectations going into the second session allowed him to play more freely, with his competitive instinct returning once he found rhythm.
The victory keeps alive Allen’s long-standing ambition of claiming a world title, one of the few major honours still missing from his career. Despite winning both the Masters snooker tournament in 2018 and the UK Championship snooker tournament in 2022, he has yet to lift the sport’s most prestigious trophy.
Elsewhere, Mark Williams, a three-time world champion and last year’s runner-up, advanced with a 10-4 victory over Poland’s Antoni Kowalski. Williams had established a 6-3 lead after the first session and maintained control throughout, despite brief resistance from his 22-year-old opponent.
Williams, now 51, reflected on the performance with characteristic honesty, noting missed opportunities but expressing continued enjoyment of competition. He praised Kowalski’s potential, reportedly describing him as “one to watch” with more experience.
Next, Williams is set to face Barry Hawkins, who also progressed with a 10-4 win over fellow Welshman Matthew Stevens. That match, however, drew attention for reasons beyond the scoreline.
Both players raised concerns about table conditions at the Crucible, suggesting the cushions were playing unpredictably. Stevens described the conditions as “really tough,” while Hawkins said control of the cue ball had become difficult, warning that the table risked playing “like a ping pong table.”
In response, the World Snooker Tour said maintaining consistent playing conditions is an ongoing challenge, adding that specialist technicians continuously monitor tables and that players are encouraged to provide feedback after matches.
In other matches, John Higgins made a fast start against Ali Carter, racing into a 4-0 lead. However, momentum shifted after the interval, with Carter winning five consecutive frames to take a 5-4 advantage ahead of the next session.
China’s Ding Junhui also impressed, opening up a 7-2 lead over David Gilbert. Ding, a former finalist, produced breaks of 94 and 100 in a dominant display, leaving himself within touching distance of the next round.
Another all-Chinese encounter saw Xiao Guodong edge ahead 7-6 against Zhou Yuelong, in what remains one of the tighter contests of the opening round.
For Allen, attention now turns to the last 16, where he is set to face either defending champion Kyren Wilson or 19-year-old prospect Stan Moody. While his second-session performance restored confidence, he acknowledged that consistency will be crucial if he is to go deeper in the tournament.
After two decades competing at the Crucible, Allen was clear about his ambitions. He said he would view his career as disappointing if he failed to win the World Championship, underlining the importance he places on the title.
The opening round has already delivered a mix of dominant performances, comebacks and controversy over conditions. As the tournament progresses, questions remain over form, consistency and whether experienced contenders like Allen and Williams can sustain their challenge over the longer format matches that define the latter stages in Sheffield.