MARK Allen’s good week continued as he booked a place in the quarter-finals of the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood with a 4-3 win over John Higgins.
The last time the pair met they produced a Crucible epic at the World Championship in May, a game Higgins won 13-12 with a stunning six reds and colours clearance. Although the stakes were not quote as high here, there was just as much drama in the deciding frame.
In fact, it looked as though history might repeat itself as Higgins, who had trailed 43-0 with the balls sitting unfavourably, managed to make himself favourite for the frame with three reds left. However, a missed pink off the spot stopped his momentum and it was Allen who potted the final two reds with colours to gain a measure of revenge.
Antrim’s world number three has found his form this week after a slow start to the season and he had signalled his intent early with a break of 100 to take the opener. He won the next as well before Higgins got on the board with a century of his own, 108, to reduce the deficit.
Allen re-established his two-frame cushion by winning frame four, but Higgins showed typical grit by forcing that decider with runs of 105 and 65.
He now faces the winner of the match between England’s Chris Wakelin and Pang Junxu of China.
In the same half of the draw, former world champion Neil Robertson beat Scotland’s Ross Muir 4-1 and was awaiting the winner of the Barry Hawkins v Kyren Wilson clash.
In the top half, Mark Selby and Judd Trump both came through against Chinese opponents.
Selby had been 3-1 ahead against Si Jiahui but Si forced a decider, which the Leicester man won with a break of 61. He now faces the world number 77 Ishpreet Chadha from India, who beat He Guoqiang 4-3.
Trump beat Fan Zhengyi 4-2 and faces his compatriot Wu Yize today.
