Luca Brecel brushes aside Mark Allen to claim place in English Open final against Mark Selby

Luca Brecel brushed Mark Allen aside 6-2 to set up a place in the English Open final on Sunday where he will meet Mark Selby.

Brecel was at his brilliant best at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday evening, turning on the style to beat the player of the season with relative ease.

The Belgian chalked up breaks of 61, 55, 50 and 71 as he raced into a five-frame lead, and although Allen threatened a comeback at 5-2, Brecel held his nerve to see off his opponent.

“Yeah, I guess he’s not unbeatable,” said Brecel in the Eurosport studio afterwards.

“I felt good today. I felt much better than yesterday, actually. More focused. Happy to win, very happy.

“Every time I feel under pressure, I feel like I’m going to deliver. I’m not going to crumble; I’m quite good under pressure.”

Brecel drew first blood in a cagey opening frame that lasted almost 30 minutes. After reaching 45, he ran out of position and a lengthy safety exchange ensued. It was Allen who blinked first, allowing Brecel sight of a red, and he eventually sealed the frame with another break of 36.

Slow to get started, Allen committed two early fouls in a sloppy second frame, whereas Brecel had settled quicker, and another break of 61 put the Belgian two to the good.

Allen looked in control of the third frame until he missed a red to the left corner pocket, as his break of 27 collapsed. Brecel responded with 55 and was back in business when the Antrim man left reds on after escaping a snooker, seeing off the frame in efficient fashion.

Brecel saved arguably his best snooker for the frame before the interval. After appearing to run out of position, he played a brilliant double on the red as he recorded a superb break of 50 and then sealed the frame after getting the better of Allen in another safety exchange.

If Allen believed his opponent would take his foot off the gas after the interval, he was wrong. He didn’t need a second invitation to get back in amongst the balls as he moved 5-0 in front and within a frame of a whitewash win.

However, Allen is developing a knack for a spirited fight-back, and when he produced his highest frame of the night – 89 – to finally get on the board, his opponent was perhaps beginning to get anxious.

His anxiety levels would have increased a notch when a poor break-off gifted Allen another opportunity, and one he would take, this time making 63 to close the gap to three at 5-2.

Credit to Brecel, though, as he quelled Allen’s momentum to grind out a deserved victory.

He is now fully embracing a final with Selby on Sunday.

“I love finals,” Brecel said.

“I mean, in the semis, that’s when I get the most nervous because all the other games, I don’t really feel nervous because it doesn’t really mean that much. But the semis are the biggest, you want to get to that final. And it’s the best of 17, and it’s a real chance to showcase your game, especially against Mark.

“So yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

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