Mark Allen came from 3-1 behind to beat John Higgins 6-5 in their first-round clash at the Masters, inflicting another cruel defeat on the veteran Scot.
Higgins was victim of another Allen comeback when losing 9-8 in the Northern Ireland Open final in 2021, having at one stage led 8-6, and it was a similar story at Alexandra Palace as Allen won four close frames his opponent will feel he himself should have taken.
When Allen overturned a 44-point deficit in frame seven to lead for the first time, before then extending his lead with a superb 123 clearance, the match had been turned completely on its head.
Mark Allen leads 4-3! 🙌
— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 10, 2024
John Higgins has plenty to think about now... 🤔#TheMasters pic.twitter.com/Yvb5jqhszq
There would be another twist, however. Having looked a beaten man, Higgins rallied brilliantly to reduce his deficit to one by winning a tactical battle in the next frame, and then sent the match to a decider with a break of 61.
In the end, Allen produced a classy finish, forcing the error from Higgins with a couple of fine safety shots and then compiling a flawless, match-winning run of 86 which began with a terrific pot to middle.
Allen will face Mark Selby in the last eight.
Allen said afterwards: “It wasn’t a phenomenal contest, we were both a bit edgy, but any win against John is a good win so I will take it.
“Strangely I didn’t feel too bad in the last frame because 5-3 to 5-5 I didn’t feel like I’d done much wrong.
“I missed two really tricky shots, so I was looking forward to getting a chance and when John missed that long red I was fearing the worst but I got another chance and I made the most of it.”
Selby strolls past Milkins
Three-time winner Mark Selby cruised through to the last eight with a 6-1 victory over Robert Milkins.
World number five Selby, who won the tournament in 2008, 2010 and 2013, raced into a 4-0 lead and although Milkins briefly stemmed the tide by taking the fifth frame, the result was never in doubt.
Selby produced a 119-break in the second frame of the evening match to assume control and compiled four more frame-winning half-century breaks to seal a convincing win.
The four-time world champion made scores of 70 and 74 in the final two frames to stay on course for a sixth appearance in the Masters final.
Looking ahead to the Allen match, Selby told World Snooker Tour: “Mark is a class act. He’s very similar to myself. He doesn’t give you too much.
“His safety game is very good and he scores as well as anyone when he’s on it. I’m expecting a really tough match.
“When you’ve been doing it for so long, you still feel nervous at the start and the end, in between you block it all out.
“It is easier to do that more than people who haven’t been doing it for that long. Me and Mark have been batting for years and years.”
Wednesday results & Thursday schedule
Wednesday January 10
First round - best of 11
Afternoon session (1300 GMT)
- Mark Allen 6-5 John Higgins
Evening session (1900 GMT)
- Mark Selby 6-1 Robert Milkins
Thursday January 11
Quarter-finals - best of 11
Afternoon session (1300 GMT)
- Ronnie O'Sullivan v Barry Hawkins
Evening session (1900 GMT)
- Shaun Murphy v Jack Lisowski
