World Snooker Championship 2026: Mark Allen Overcomes “Embarrassing” Start in Sheffield

Former world number one Mark Allen produced a dramatic turnaround to defeat Zhang Anda 10-6 and secure his place in the second round of the 2026 World Snooker Championship.

Making his 20th consecutive appearance at the Crucible, Allen extended his impressive first-round record, winning his opener for the sixth year in a row. 

Despite never reaching a final in Sheffield, the Northern Irishman will be aiming to go deeper than ever this year.

Slow Start Leaves Allen Frustrated

Allen found himself 5-3 down after a difficult opening session on Saturday morning, and by his own admission, he was fortunate not to be further behind.

Zhang, who had lost in the first round on all five of his previous Crucible appearances, looked sharp early on. He compiled breaks of 129 and 109, alongside contributions of 75, 58 and 72, while Allen failed to register a single half-century in the session.

Centuries Spark Comeback

The match began to turn after a lengthy opening frame in the second session on Sunday morning. 

Allen rediscovered his rhythm and produced back-to-back centuries of 140 and 109 to level the contest at 6-6, having trailed 6-4.

From there, the momentum was firmly with Allen. What had been a tense, scrappy affair quickly became one-sided, as he stormed through the final four frames. A further century break of 129 and a composed 81 sealed an emphatic 10-6 victory.

Allen Opens Up on ‘Embarrassing’ First Session

Following the match, Allen candidly reflected on the stark contrast between his performances across the two sessions.

“It was very different than yesterday; I'll tell you that. That was like chalk and cheese, wasn't it? It was actually embarrassing yesterday. Very, very frustrating,” Allen said post-match. 

“I genuinely just wanted to crawl into a ball and cry last night. That’s how bad I felt.”

‘A Constant Battle’ Mentally

Allen admitted the struggles were entirely self-inflicted, revealing the mental toll his performance had taken.

“Zhang didn't do any of that to me. I did it to myself. I feel a constant battle with myself at the minute.” 

“No one can make me feel as bad as I can make myself feel, trust me.”

A Boozy Change of Routine Pays Off

In a bid to reset, Allen abandoned his usual preparation and opted to unwind after the opening session. even enjoying a few drinks while watching Manchester United defeat Chelsea.

“I was completely gutted with my performance yesterday. And I just prepared a little differently for this morning. I went out and had some drinks with my mates, probably a few too many drinks and then just sat and watched the football.”

“I probably came in with a little bit less expectation today, but whenever you're out there in the heat of battle, you realise just how much you want it again and that fire and my belly was back.”

Frustration Despite Improved Preparation

The most disappointing aspect for Allen was that his slow start came despite a significant lifestyle overhaul in the build-up to the tournament.

“I’m not advocating for preparing for a world championship match like I did yesterday, but something needed to change.” 

“For the past month I’ve been so disciplined, I've been practising hard. I’ve been in the gym, working with a PT, doing like three sessions a week. I feel physically stronger, fitter, eating better, having protein shakes, every vitamin tablet under the sun to try and make myself feel better.”

“That’s why I was so gutted yesterday, because I felt like what more do I need to do to prepare properly for this tournament.”

Eyeing Next Opponent and Rising British Talent

With the first hurdle cleared, Allen now turns his attention to the next round, where he is “on paper” set to face reigning world champion Kyren Wilson. However, it was 19-year-old Stan Moody, standing in the Wilson’s way, who caught his attention.

Allen highlighted the growing strength of Chinese players in the sport, while welcoming the emergence of young British talent. 

Moody, notably, is the first British teenager to qualify for the Crucible since Judd Trump in 2007.

“Yeah, very. [Liam] Pullen and Antoni Kowalski as well. Both young kids qualifying for the first time. It’s great to see because for too long now, we've been sort of left behind by the Chinese youngsters.”

“I know there've been so many of them coming through in recent years and still so many coming through, but it's nice to see some British players and Stan's someone I know quite well.”

“He [Moody] come over and supported a charity event I've done when he was only 14 and he made a big impression on the people in the club that I play at.”

“He's already a great talent in the game, but he's got a very bright future ahead of him as well,” Allen concluded.