Allen Secures Crucible Victory, Zhao Impresses in World Snooker Championship Round Two

Mark Allen has advanced to the second round of the World Snooker Championship at the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, overcoming China’s Fan Zhengyi with a decisive 10-6 victory. The Northern Irishman, currently ranked eighth in the world and returning after a period outside the top ten, demonstrated resilience and tactical sharpness throughout the match. Allen trailed 3-0 early on but mounted a remarkable comeback, showcasing his trademark attacking style to ultimately lead 5-4 overnight. He punctuated his success with impressive breaks of 88 and 102. Looking ahead, Allen will face qualifier Chris Wakelin in the last sixteen, a challenging matchup he’s keen to win.

Alongside Allen’s victory, Zhao Xintong delivered a dominant performance against Jak Jones, securing a comfortable 10-4 triumph. The former UK Champion displayed exceptional control and consistency, wrapping up the match comfortably. Zhao’s progress is particularly noteworthy considering his recent history – he’s competing as an amateur for the first time since 2022, having served a 20-month suspension due to involvement in a match-fixing investigation. This return marks a significant moment for the talented Chinese player, and the tournament has seen ten Chinese players enter the main draw this year. He will face Lei in the quarter finals.

Elsewhere, the first round saw several other matches unfold: John Higgins trails Joe O’Connor 5-4 after a tense encounter with O’Connor narrowly edging ahead with a maximum break of 96 late in the evening session. Ding Junhui leads Zak Surety 6-3, although the latter had a brief resurgence after the mid-session interval and secured three frames to limit the damage before Tuesday’s resumption. Si Jiahui and David Gilbert are set for an evening contest, with both players boasting significant Crucible experience.

The tournament continues Monday with further matches scheduled throughout the day. Key highlights include Higgins vs O’Connor (19:00 BST), Allen vs Wakelin and Ding vs Surety. BBC Sport will provide comprehensive live coverage across television, iPlayer, its website, and app, alongside radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.