Mark Allen suffered a devastating defeat in the final frame against Wu Yize, missing a match-winning black ball from its spot in an extraordinary penultimate frame that would have secured his place in his first World Championship final.
Wu Yize’s Remarkable Comeback
Wu, 22, widely regarded as China’s rising snooker star, seemed on the verge of defeat when trailing 16-14. However, he staged a remarkable comeback, winning three consecutive frames with breaks of 67, 52, and 71 to secure a thrilling 17-16 victory in what is being hailed as one of the Crucible’s all-time classic matches.
It was a heartbreaking end for Allen, who faltered at 45 points in the 31st frame and then, under immense pressure, inexplicably missed a straightforward black ball to win in the nerve-wracking 32nd frame.
“I had my chances and completely blew it, to be honest. I always back myself under pressure, but I didn’t cope with it today,” Allen told BBC Sport.
“When you miss a black like that, you don’t deserve to win. I had more than enough opportunities to secure the victory. I wish Wu good luck.”
“I believe he’s going to be the world champion. Even though I’m devastated by this loss, I think the right person is in the final.”
Wu will now advance to face England’s Shaun Murphy in the highly anticipated final match, scheduled to commence on Sunday at 13:00 BST.
Six-time world champion Steve Davis and 2024 winner Kyren Wilson, serving as studio pundits on BBC Two, reacted with disbelief as they witnessed Allen’s incomprehensible miss.
“You can forgive anyone anything at this stage,” Davis commented.
“I feel for Mark Allen, and I understand what he’s experiencing. It’s a shock. He will be in total shock.”
Wilson, meanwhile, raised questions about Allen’s technique for a shot that should have been a mere formality.
“Look at the bridge Mark Allen has there. I am genuinely surprised he didn’t have his hand on the table.”
“I don’t think he could miss that shot with his hand on the table. Perhaps it was a moment of overexcitement. Unbelievable.”
Wu’s Journey to World Snooker Glory
His victory marks the second consecutive year China has a finalist, validating Wu’s decision to move to the UK at 16 to pursue his snooker dream.
Wu, who initially faced hardships living in a windowless flat and sharing a bed with his father after his move, is now just one victory away from snooker’s most prestigious prize and a winner’s cheque of £500,000.
Based on his impressive progression past Peifan Lei, Mark Selby, Hossein Vafaei, and now Allen, Wu appears poised to follow in the footsteps of last year’s champion Zhao Xintong, having been widely tipped as a future world champion by legends like Ronnie O’Sullivan and Murphy.
“I feel I am still not recovering from the nerves. I feel sorry for Mark,” Wu stated after his triumph.
“I felt like I was losing the match, especially after the second black in that frame. But I was able to seize the opportunity.”
“In the last session, I made some mistakes in safety play, and towards the end, I was fortunate. I want to give my utmost effort and everything I have to try and win the World Championship.”
For most of the evening, Allen had maintained his composure across several captivating frames, which never threatened to devolve into the grueling nature of Friday’s second session between the pair, which famously produced the longest frame ever played at the sport’s most renowned venue.
The former Masters and UK Champion crafted breaks of 82 and 57, taking the lead three times, only to be pulled back to 14-14 by Wu, who consistently employed his attacking style, earning him breaks of 50, 126, and 74.
Allen regained the initiative with a composed break of 65. When Wu missed a red to the left middle pocket while on 58, it presented his opponent with an opportunity to deliver a devastating counter-attack, moving him to a 16-14 lead.
However, with victory seemingly within reach, Allen faltered on a red to the middle pocket in the subsequent frame, initiating a remarkable sequence of events.
Northern Irishman Allen had been aiming to become the oldest first-time finalist in Crucible history, having previously lost in the semi-finals twice.
However, at 40 years old and with 20 previous unsuccessful attempts to win snooker’s greatest prize, he may now be left contemplating whether his moment will ever arrive.
Murphy’s Path to the Final
Earlier, Shaun Murphy secured a commanding 17-15 victory over John Higgins to reach his fifth Crucible final.
He is now aiming to claim his second title, 21 years after his first, having finished as the runner-up in his three previous Championship match appearances.
His first runner-up finish was in 2009 against four-time champion Higgins, who secured a comfortable 18-9 victory.
This time, the tension was considerably higher, and crucially for Murphy, there was no repeat of the previous outcome. He roared back from a 13-11 overnight deficit, impressively winning four consecutive frames from 15-13 down.
“I am over the moon. I am exhausted. I was in a match with John, four sessions, a world semi-final – it doesn’t get much more difficult than that,” Murphy stated.
“I knew I needed a good start, and two centuries right off the bat was excellent. Of course, it counted for nothing because two frames later I was back where I started.”
“I knew I had to dig deep again. I knew I had done it once and could do it again. I didn’t expect to win all four frames after the resumption, but I capitalized on my chances and scored well.”
World number eight Murphy began with sensational breaks of 132 and 127, appearing completely in his element as he moved confidently around the auditorium.
However, his rapid start initially proved futile as Higgins, who had minimal table time in those frames, displayed the remarkable resolve and fighting qualities that have defined his illustrious career.
Higgins, who turns 51 later this month and was hoping to become the oldest ever finalist, secured a scrappy 27th frame and then crafted an 88 break.
While those contributions lacked the brilliance of Murphy’s earlier efforts, they briefly restored Higgins’ two-frame advantage.
Murphy’s third century break of the session reduced his deficit, and when the Scot missed a black to the right corner and played a loose safety shot in the subsequent frame, he was clinically punished as Murphy compiled a break of 78.
Higgins failed to cut a red into the left corner pocket, and Murphy missed a blue into the top-right corner in the 31st frame, which ultimately went to the 2005 winner.
In a tense 32nd frame, Higgins broke down on 50 points, and Murphy missed a red with the rest before he finally secured his place in snooker’s most prestigious match.
He will now aim to join an exclusive club of six players who have won multiple world titles since the tournament’s relocation to South Yorkshire in 1977.
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