‘He was the better player’ – Mark Allen relieved to reach UK Championship final after comeback win over Jack Lisowski

Mark Allen said he was “just relieved” to finish his semi-final UK Championship match against Jack Lisowski.

When asked how he felt after his victory, he said: “Just relieved. I’ve finally finished that match. It wasn’t great, was it?

“Didn’t have any type of game, really, and just fought really hard for everything. I just never gave up, and tried to stay as positive as possible given just how bad I was cueing.But I found some form from 5-3. I made a couple of good breaks to go five all. Obviously, you’re only hoping for a chance. I was trying to box clever from there, and obviously, Jack put on a great red in the middle under immense pressure. It looked like he was going to win it in one hit, but I managed to get another chance, and then it was a matter of who could hold their nerve better at the end.

“I was fortunate that Jack didn’t get a better position from yellow to green because I think he probably deserved to win. He was the better player. I just hung in, and I’ve never really struggled with bottle, so I knew if it went close, I’d fancy myself to get over the line. But it’d be nice to have some form to back it up.”

The 36-year-old was able to take the game to the decider and talked through some of his decision-making in the winning frame, saying: “I played the snooker behind the black. I did expect the red to go further up the table. I thought the red would go up towards the yellow, I just didn’t judge it quite well enough. But I controlled the white really well, which is important.”

When he won, Allen made sure to shake Lisowski’s hand, before turning to the crowd to celebrate.

“I didn’t want to be disrespectful to Jack because, as I said, he was the better player and probably deserved to get through.

“These tournaments aren’t easy to win, and these big matches aren’t easy to win, and he has to find a way to learn to do that. He hasn’t quite done it yet. He’s lost a lot of heartbreaking ones. Talent only gets you so far, you need to have that bit extra, and that’s something I back myself to have all the time.”

Allen also discussed why he struggled early on in the match, and without giving too much away, he revealed he was working on new techniques that he is still not comfortable committing to yet in games.

“I am working on something different, a bit technical, and I would rather not trade secrets away. I am alright when I am on the practice table, but out there under pressure, I am just not trusting what I am trying at the minute.

“I’ve been trying it for maybe three or four weeks. It hasn’t really paid off yet, but I know it’s the right thing to do if I am going to get better over distance because I think that’s the only thing that separates me from the very best in the game: my long game. My safety competes with anyone, and I score as heavy as anyone. I need to start getting some long ones in.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan also gave his assessment on the match, saying: “I think if Jack would have played how Mark [did], not at his best tonight, it would have been a lot easier of a win for Mark. He’s able to dig out that match, where Jack is reliant on playing brilliantly all the time.

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