Thepchaiya storms into semis in China

Thai ace Thepchaiya Un-nooh yesterday claimed the big scalp of Northern Irish star Mark Allen to win their International Championship quarter-final clash 6-5 in a cliffhanger in Daqing, China.

Allen, ranked No.9 in the world, carved out a break of 118 points in the 10th to push the match to the deciding frame but Thepchaiya kept his cool to claim the final frame and complete the upset.

In another early match yesterday, England’s Dave Gilbert also produced an upset by clinching a narrow finalframe win over world No.13 Marco Fu of Hong Kong.

No.48-ranked Thepchaiya had entered the quarter-final of the tournament, which offers US$1 million (35 million baht) in total prize money, as an underdog despite being fresh from his victory in the world 6-red championship at home last month.

After losing the first frame to Allen in the battle of lefties, Thepchaiya, who has already been assured of a 1.65-millionbaht payday, was denied the third as well.

The Thai star, who has now matched his best performance in a world ranking tournament by reaching the semi-finals, recovered with a run of 54 points in the fourth and then another 66 in the sixth to capture three frames in a row and go 4-2 ahead.

Thepchaiya had earlier made the semi-finals of last season’s Indian Open in March this year.

However, battle-hardened Allen hit back to pull off a 4-4 tie before Thepchaiya had a fine break of 99 points in the ninth to gain one-frame advantage.

Allen followed with the break of 118 after Thepchaiya had missed a black to force the decider.

Thepchaiya claimed a 63-7 lead in the final frame but was snookered by his rival. The Thai conjured his way out of trouble in a spectacular fashion and, in the process, snookered Allen, who conceded the match after failing to find a way out and sustaining four penalty points.

Thepchaiya, the highest ranked Thai player on the lucrative world professional tour, now faces world No.40 Gilbert, who had a break of 130 points during his shock 6-5 victory over Fu yesterday, in the semifinals today.