Mark Allen’s long-awaited return to snooker ended in disappointment on Tuesday afternoon. The former world number one, playing his first match since May’s World Championship, was beaten 4-2 by Jordan Brown in an all-Northern Ireland first-round clash at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall.
Jordan Brown (Credits: BBC Sport)
Allen, 40, had not picked up a cue in competition since his agonising World Championship semi-final loss to Wu Yize in early May. His comeback was supposed to be one of the stories of the Northern Ireland Open. Instead, he became the 10th top-16 player to crash out in the first round.
One of the Biggest Upsets of the Tournament So Far
The match started well enough for Allen, who took the opening frame on Tuesday afternoon. But 39-year-old Brown refused to roll over, winning the next two frames to take control. Allen levelled at 2-2, and for a moment a comeback looked possible, only for Brown to finish the job with breaks of 53 and 80 in the final two frames.
Brown’s victory is a measure of revenge. Last year, he lost 5-2 to Allen in the quarter-finals of this very tournament. This time the roles were reversed, and the Antrim man will now look to push further than he managed twelve months ago.
Early Casualties Are Piling Up
Allen’s exit continues a brutal trend at this year’s event. Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, and Mark Selby are among the top-16 casualties already, making Allen the tenth big name to fall at the first hurdle. That kind of carnage is rare even by snooker’s unpredictable standards, and it has blown the tournament wide open.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, three-time world champion Mark Williams avoided the same fate with a 4-2 win over Robbie Williams, while Michael Holt knocked out Zhou Yuelong 4-1. Defending champion Jack Lisowski was set to face Anthony McGill in the evening session.
For Allen, the defeat is a harsh reminder that time away from the table costs. He will now regroup and look to rediscover his form before the season’s bigger events. For Brown, it is a famous win on home soil and a statement that he belongs in the latter stages of this tournament.
Also Read: Why O’Sullivan Faces a Battle to Stay in Snooker’s Top 16
Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
