Mark Allen Edges Zhou Yuelong 9-8 to Win English Open in Nail-biting Final

Mark Allen withstood a late rally by China's Zhou Yuelong to secure a 9-8 victory in the English Open final, claiming his first ranking title in 19 months and the £100,000 top prize.

Allen led 6-2 and 7-3 after the opening session but saw Zhou win five straight frames to take the lead for the first time. The Northern Irishman dug deep to win the last two frames of a match that spanned seven hours over two sessions, lifting the Steve Davis Trophy after previously winning the Players Championship in February.

The 39-year-old overcame multiple deciding-frame battles throughout the week, edging out Stuart Bingham, Ding Junhui, Elliot Slessor and Jak Jones. Against Zhou, he opened with a 132 clearance and dominated the first session, only to face a fierce comeback in the evening.

Remarkable Comeback Denied

After sharing the first two frames in the evening, Zhou—who had defeated former world champions Mark Williams, Luca Brecel and Mark Selby en route to his first ranking final—took the lead at 8-7 with a 53 break. Allen, however, found renewed energy and claimed the final two frames to seal victory.

"Zhou played superbly under pressure," Allen said. "I missed a few chances early on, but at 8-7 I rallied and felt as strong as ever in those last two frames."

Allen's resilience under intense pressure was decisive, as he held off a late surge from Zhou Yuelong to capture his 12th ranking title.

This topic was reported by BBC Sport.

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