Home favourite Mark Allen delighted the crowd in Belfast with a commanding 4-0 win over Liu Hongyu, advancing to the last 32 of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open. Having previously won this prestigious title in 2021 and 2022, Allen hopes to lift the Alex Higgins Trophy for a third time, aiming to recreate the electric atmosphere at the Waterfront Hall. "The support I get here is amazing and I really appreciate it," said the world number three, who showcased his skills with breaks of 71, 76, and 70.
Reflecting on his journey, Allen acknowledged that he didn’t deserve the enthusiastic backing he received early in his career due to inconsistent results. However, he feels he is now repaying the fans by delivering exciting performances. "It would mean everything to win it again, but I'm keeping that at the back of my mind; I'm just trying to enjoy it," he stated.
Recently, Allen withdrew from the Wuhan Open due to his mother's health issues, but he was relieved to return to the competition this week as her condition improved. "I feel I have turned a corner in my game and I'm playing good stuff," he remarked, looking forward to facing either Wu Yize or Oliver Lines in the next round. He also praised the playing conditions, expressing gratitude to the table fitters after his match.
In other matches, British Open runner-up John Higgins continued his resurgence, overcoming an early deficit to defeat Fan Zhengyi 4-2, recording breaks of 66, 139, 53, and 62. Hong Kong's Wang Yuchen celebrated a significant victory against Jack Lisowski, winning 4-3 with an impressive 82 in the final frame. Barry Hawkins rallied from a 2-1 deficit to claim a 4-2 victory over Matthew Stevens, while Anthony McGill secured a 4-1 win against Stephen Maguire, topping the match with a break of 75.
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