Allen’s Cheeky Gesture Backfires as Selby Stuns with Brilliant Fightback in Semi-Final Drama
In a memorable moment during their semi-final match, Mark Allen chose an unconventional approach after missing a shot. Normally, players return to their seats, but Allen remained standing and decided to playfully engage his opponent, Mark Selby. As Selby prepared to take his next shot, Allen walked around the table, nodding toward the playing area with a cheeky gesture, as if urging Selby to hurry up. The playful move immediately had the audience in stitches, and even the referee struggled to suppress a grin. Selby, unfazed by the distraction, kept his focus and effortlessly potted the pink ball, ending the session on a high note. Despite Allen’s attempt at throwing Selby off, the world number one responded with calm composure. The session ended with Selby turning a 5-3 deficit into a 7-6 lead, much to Allen’s disappointment. However, when the match resumed the next day, Allen’s earlier antics couldn’t shake Selby’s focus, and the latter maintained control to secure the victory, ultimately ending Allen’s hopes of advancing to the final.
