1 week Ago By BBC
Defending champion Mark Allen progressed to the semi-finals of this year's Champion of Champions tournament in Bolton by defeating Jak Jones 6-4 in Monday's Group One final. The world number three from Northern Ireland mounted a successful comeback after trailing his Welsh opponent 3-0. Breaks of 72, 64 and 104 helped Allen draw level, followed by a clearance of 66 in frame seven, which he won by a single point.
The Antrim man took the next as well with a run of 82 to move to within one of victory but 2024 World Championship finalist Jones fought back with a 104 in the ninth frame to reduce his deficit to one. Allen got over the line by winning frame 10 to book his place in the semi-finals. "The start wasn't good from me, I was all at sea," Allen told ITV Sport after his victory.
"After that I didn't miss too much. I felt like I upped the tempo and played some good stuff even though I could have lost a couple of frames. "It could have gone four all but it went 5-3 so after that all you have to do is hold yourself together then.
" Earlier, Allen had advanced to his group final by beating Brazilian Igor Figueiredo 4-2 at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Monday afternoon. Despite compiling a break of 52, the two-time champion lost the opening frame to the World Seniors champion, but runs of 61 and 102 in frames two and three saw him move 2-1 ahead. Figueiredo levelled by winning the next but Allen's second century of the match - a 107 - edged him 3-2 in front.
The 38-year-old went on to win the sixth frame to secure his place in the final. Jones defeated Scottish Open and Welsh Open winner Gary Wilson 4-2 to progress to his meeting with Allen. Breaks of 106 and 53 helped Jones into a 3-0 lead but Wilson replied by putting together a 120 to take frame four and reduced his arrears to one by winning the next.
An impressive break of 132 clinched victory for Jones. The invitational tournament sees 16 players divided into four groups of four, with the winner of each contesting the semi-finals. The winner of Sunday's final will collect a first prize of £150,000.
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