Why Mark Allen can't explain horror World Snooker Championship shot that cost him final shot - 'It was a shocking miss'
Published 24/05/2026 at 14:48 GMT+1
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Mark Allen has revealed that he has no explanation for the "shocking" missed black that cost him a spot in the 50th world final at the Crucible.
'Could not write a script like this' - Allen misses match-ball black and Wu pots it to stay alive
Video credit: TNT Sports
The Northern Irishman was on the brink of securing a World Snooker Championship final showdown with Shaun Murphy last month as he lined up the final black that would have sealed a 17-15 semi-final win over Wu Yize.
But he somehow jawed the black off the spot before Wu hit back from 47-0 behind in the decider to deny Allen a maiden appearance in the sport's title match with a match-clinching 71 break.
With Wu progressing to edge out Murphy 18-17 to become China's second successive world champion, Allen is hoping his career is not defined by the memory of the black.
"I hadn't seen my daughter Harley for three weeks, and when I picked her up from school, she jumped into my arms and the first thing she said was, 'how did you miss that black, daddy?'," Allen told the BBC.
"I have been asked a million times since, and don't know what the answer is.
"It was a shocking miss, but I tried my best, and it just didn't work out on that day.
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'One of the great matches ever played' - Wu beats Allen in epic
Video credit: TNT Sports
"There were positives to take from the two weeks in Sheffield.
"I know I played well, although I was disappointed with how it ended, but it's the closest I've got, and that's something I have to take."
The former UK and Masters winner has suggested he will reflect on his career with a sense of disappointment if he fails to become world champion.
”There's probably only 10 players that have won more than me, but I'd still say it's very disappointing," he said.
"With all great respect to the tournaments I've won, you want to be world champion.
"That's what you start playing the game for. As a 12-year-old boy starting out, I wanted to be world champion, you remember potting that long black to win the world championships.
"Yeah, that fire in my belly is still there. So I'd look back on it as a disappointment, but I'm sure that other people might say I did all right."
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The world No. 12 also said he will learn lessons from allowing the 14th frame of the semi-final to drag on for an agonising 100 minutes and 21 seconds - the longest frame in Crucible history.
In some farcical scenes, with neither man potting a ball for an hour, referee Marcel Eckardt appeared to discuss a potential re-rack with Allen.
He initially refused to get involved in attempting to dislodge a blockage of reds gathered around the black at the top right-hand pocket before opting to pot the black before losing the epic frame.
Not surprisingly, the elongated session ended two frames early after Allen had recovered from 6-2 behind on Thursday to restore parity at 7-7.
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'A tactical move' - Allen ends stalemate by potting black
Video credit: TNT Sports
"You're not really worried about what people are thinking, but just thinking about winning the frame," said Allen.
"I think it was handled badly at the time, with the crowd involvement and commentary team didn't help.
"In hindsight, I'd probably have just taken the re-rack, but I felt I was dominating, and had the patience to stay there and win the frame.
"But it didn't turn out that way."
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