Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Beaten Al can’t wait for home
TOP Northern Irish potter Mark Allen hit out at table conditions in China after slumping to a shock loss in the last 32 of the China Championship.
World No 11 Allen bowed out after a disappointing 5-1 defeat to former Northern Ireland
Open champion Mark
King at Guangzhou’s Tianhe Sports Centre yesterday.
Next week Allen competes in the European Masters before the
English Open kicks off the Home Nations series.
And Ulster cueman Allen said: “It’ll be nice to get back to Europe and play a few tournaments in better conditions.
“It’s hit and miss out here [in China], it’s not ideal but you have to get on with it and it’ll be nice to go off to Belgium and then play the English Open.”
Antrim ace Allen sunk the highest break of the match, 86, to reduce his arrears to 2-1.
But world No 22 King won three frames on the bounce to reach the last 16.
Allen added: “You’re seeing what used to be shock results but they aren’t shocks anymore because everyone’s sharp and capable of producing good snooker on their day.”
Dublin’s Fergal O’brien crashed out after a 5-2 defeat to local potter Zhao Xintong.
Three-time world champion and world No 1 Mark Selby crushed home wildcard Chang Bingyu 5-1 with five 50-plus breaks.
And world champion Mark Williams secured safe passage by beating former cabbie Gary Wilson 5-2.