Allen survives Zhou comeback to win English Open in final-frame decider

Mark Allen survived a spirited comeback from Zhou Yuelong to win the English Open in a final-frame decider and claim his first ranking title in 19 months.

The Northern Irishman led Sunday's final in Brentwood 6-2 and 7-3 before Zhou roared back to win five consecutive frames and lead for the first time.

Former world number one Allen, however, showed his own powers of recovery to win the last two frames and win 9-8 in a final that lasted seven hours over two sessions.

It is Allen's 12th ranking title and first since the Players Championship in February 2024.

With Sunday's victory, 39-year-old Allen earned the £100,000 top prize and lifted the Steve Davis Trophy for the first time.

It was a fitting end to the week for the former UK Championship and Masters winner, who also edged out Stuart Bingham, Ding Junhui, Elliot Slessor and Jak Jones in final-frame deciders to reach the final.

Unlikely comebacks were a theme of Allen's tournament, including a late-night rally from 4-0 down to stun Slessor in Friday's best-of-nine quarter-final.

Allen also needed the final three frames to beat Jones 6-5 in Saturday's semi-final, but against Zhou - who he beat in the 2022 Northern Ireland Open final - he was much quicker out of the blocks.

He produced a superb 132 clearance to win the opener, and while Zhou levelled immediately, Allen clinched five of the opening session's six remaining frames to take control.

At that stage, Allen looked on course for his 12th ranking title only for Zhou to force a remarkable turnaround.

After sharing the first two frames of an evening session dominated by protracted safety battles, Zhou - who beat former world champions Mark Williams, Luca Brecel and Mark Selby to reach the final - won four in a row to draw level at 7-7 with an increasingly out-of-sorts Allen.

A break of 53 helped put Zhou in front for the first time, but for the fifth time in the tournament Allen dug deep when staring defeat in the face to win the last two frames and capture the title in dramatic fashion.