Mark Allen staged a stunning comeback to defeat an under-par Mark Selby 4-3 in a nerve-wracking quarter-final at the Riyadh Season World Masters.
In a unique final frame, the Northern Irishman doubled Black to put the match on the line and seal an outstanding victory.
With Selby leading 3-1, Selby looked down and out for long periods of the game, but just as he was nearing the victory line, he lost his temper.
He had chances to end the match in the fifth and sixth frames, but his opponent held his own and forced a tense deciding opportunity.
Jester took the first two frames, helped by a fine visit of 84 in the second frame, but Allen quickly nailed it as he started to find his game, cutting the gap in half with a break of 73.
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Selby comes back to deliver ‘important blow’ to Allen and earns opening slot
Pistol seemed to be on the horizon until he missed the black some distance on 53, paving the way for his opponent to clear with a stunning 73 and come within a frame of victory. It is.
It was the third of four frames in which Selby snatched a come-from-behind victory, but the tide turned in the fifth frame when he blew a 54-point lead and a grateful Allen appeared to have made a spectacular clearance. 65 to make it 3-2.
History repeated itself in the next frame. Jester was furious at himself for missing the black on number 42, but the Northern Irishman held firm and took number 52, eventually laying the frame after a long battle on the blue.
This created a dramatic decision-making opportunity, with both players getting hands full of mistakes and nerves, but they were unable to clinch the victory.
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“You can go back if you want,” Allen jokes after refereeing error.
Selby looked confident of victory with a 45, but a few fouls and a big fluke on the green only helped his opponent fall back.
The final moments of the game were extraordinary, with Negro tucked into the right corner pocket and at one point Allen hiding behind him.
He was forced to make a great shot with the pink ball, going in and out of the balk to pot the ball and then scoring a very sensational double with the black ball to take the win and advance to the semi-finals. Obtained the right to participate.
“I was actually trying to take it off the side cushions, hit the pink, and then develop the black,” he later confessed.
“I knew if I hit a full ball, I would be in trouble. In fact, I thought the white was going to fall! It was a very easy shot to knock the black away, but I thought, ‘No, no. I thought, “Yeah, that’s right.” I’m going to go for it. ” As long as you have a really good white, you’ll be fine!
“It was a very easy safety, but you know what Mark is like, he makes you work hard at everything. I could have waited a while for another chance, so I’ll give it a shot. I thought”
“I came here to win and that’s what it’s all about. I think every player who came here this week was dreaming of a chance to win.
“I’m still here. There’s only four left before I play again. I have as much of a chance as anyone.”
Selby could only smile in the end after being on Lady Luck’s bad side, but it was another disappointing loss in a season where they have yet to win a tournament.
Although this was only an invitational event, a victory would have put him in a good position for a further challenge at the World Championship.
“That last frame,” he exclaimed. “Oh my god! He came off the jaw and teased me behind the yellow. I went through the gap between the two reds and left a free ball. And even there at the end, what happened, it was It was just one of those games!
“It was a mental thing, but there were no surprises in this match! But if you don’t take your chances, you get punished in a way. I had a chance to win 4-1. And we had a chance to win 4-2. Don’t do it, things like that happen. The game won’t let you!”