Players Championship 2024 snooker LIVE – Mark Allen claims title after gruelling battle against Zhang Anda in Telford
Updated 26/02/2024 at 00:03 GMT
The Players Championship continues on Sunday at Telford International Centre, as Zhang Anda faces off against Mark Allen in the final. Zhang beat Mark Selby in an epic on Saturday night to progress to the showpiece final. The first session ended 4-4 before they play to a finish tonight chasing the trophy and a £125,000 first prize. Follow live updates here before a sell-out crowd.
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A winner's cheque for £125,000 goes to Mark Allen and the trophy. Stay with us for more reports and live updates from the Championship League this week before the top eight in the world head for the inaugural three-day invitational event in Saudi Arabia, the Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker, next week (March 4-6).
ALLEN 10-8 ZHANG
"Mark played so well, but hopefully I can do better next time," said Zhang after a match that lasted over seven hours.
"That wasn't a lot of fun to be involved in," said Allen after claiming his 11th career ranking title. "I want to finish on 20 or 30. But I'll probably look back on my career as a disappointment if I don't win the World Championship. It's a busy spell."
ALLEN 9-8 ZHANG (67-0)
Chance then for Allen as a plant on two reds disappears before he opts to roll in a tough brown to right centre. Lead moves to over 50 points as green disappears. Not too much more needed out there. Allen slams in red with the rest. Made that look easy. And suddenly this looks like frame and match coming up. In goes the blue, and Zhang needs snookers. Over seven hours of playing time. And the handshake comes from Zhang. Allen is the Players Championship winner.
ALLEN 9-8 ZHANG (43-0)
Fabulous pot on a red to right middle by Allen. Snicks in the yellow to follow before running white back to baulk. 43 the lead now.
ALLEN 9-8 ZHANG (40-0)
40 from 'The Pistol' before he misfires by failing to open up the pack of reds. Looks to the skies. And he has to settle for the safety escape. Nothing being done in one hit here.
ALLEN 9-8 ZHANG (17-0)
Allen left an easy starter after Zhang fails to slot a long red. Immediately cracks open the pack of reds. This is a real chance for the Northern Irishman to make his surge for the winning line. Nothing looks overly difficult here. But nothing has come easy tonight.
ALLEN 9-7 ZHANG (44-66)
Chances for Allen to wrap up the win not taken in that frame. Played for snookers on pink and black, but a 37-minute frame ends with Zhang potting the pink off a side cushion in baulk. And Allen now leads 9-8. What were we saying about a decider? Has that sort of vibe off it.
ALLEN 9-7 ZHANG (44-60)
Zhang with some terrific escapes before Allen swerves to hit yellow and sticks up the yellow. In goes the yellow and mid-range green from Zhang, who just needs brown, but he can only play safe off brown. Allen goes for the long-range brown, but can't hole the brown to green bag. And Zhang ends up doubling the brown to top pocket in trying to lay a snooker. What a fluke. A lead of 21 points now with only 18 remaining.
ALLEN 9-7 ZHANG (39-51)
Zhang leaves red to right centre. But Mark can't land on the blue, and is forced to settle for the snooker behind blue. Onto the colours then as Zhang plays a nice escape shot on the yellow, but is snookered again seconds later. And he gets another decent result to leave yellow safe on a side rail. But Allen sticks Zhang in another brilliant snooker behind black. Relentless play by Allen.
ALLEN 9-7 ZHANG (38-51)
A break of 37 from Allen, but he misses the final red to right centre. Yellow is safe so that is key ball in this frame. Green on a side rail too in baulk.
ALLEN 9-7 ZHANG (22-51)
Great long red by Allen is followed by brown to the right centre. Chance then to recover in the frame he needs for victory. Under normal circumstances, he would back himself here to go close to winning frame.
ALLEN 9-7 ZHANG (1-51)
Well, another astonishing error by Zhang as he rolls in a blue to right centre, but ends up nudging the white next to a red. And he is forced to retreat having made 50. Good break, but not yet decisive.
ALLEN 9-7 ZHANG (1-8)
Allen with a rueful smile after making a mess of a safety shot to leave Zhang plum in among the reds. What a chance this is for the International champion. But we've said that a few times tonight.
ALLEN 8-7 ZHANG (64-51)
And he clears coolly to the pink to move two up with a possible three frames remaining. Neither player can say they didn't have chances in this final. Allen leads 9-7.
ALLEN 8-7 ZHANG (46-51)
Allen has gone off the boil since moving 8-6 ahead, but Zhang then misses yellow off the spot. He only needs yellow, green and brown to level up. Just the safety for Allen in response. Leaves a gap for Zhang to play a fine snooker, but Allen swerves around pink to hit yellow. A safety battle on yellow to settle this frame. Zhang snookered behind black and he leaves the yellow for Allen to sink to left middle.
ALLEN 8-7 ZHANG (40-36)
Allen with a poor safety shot as he leaves Zhang another easy red. Immediately lifts the one tricky red from side cushion. And in goes a pressure yellow with rest. Are we heading for 8-8? Every chance now.
ALLEN 8-7 ZHANG (40-26)
This is a real chance for Allen to reassert himself in this match after the events of the previous frame. Going along nicely as blue to right centre disappears. Everything is a struggle out there. 40 but short of pace in screwing in green before he plays a decent safety of the red to leave Zhang snookered. Zhang with a nice escape in response.
ALLEN 8-7 ZHANG (0-26)
20 from Zhang, but nothing more coming at that visit as a pink to yellow pocket misses by some distance. Story of this final at the moment.
ALLEN 8-7 ZHANG (0-19)
Zhang with a corking opening red as he tries to build a lead in the frame he needs to level the final. Just steeling himself for a huge visit here.
ALLEN 8-7 ZHANG (0-6)
Zhang in with a run of six before Allen misses a hopeful attempt at a plant. This match looks like it is heading towards a midnight finish and a final frame. Difficult to see someone coming up with a big break.
ALLEN 8-7 ZHANG (0-0)
Both men look far from happy with the goings on out there, but Zhang at least still in the hunt. Allen goes for a long red, doesn't drop and he has left it for his opponent.
ALLEN 8-6 ZHANG (7-58)
Not vintage snooker, but looks like Zhang is somehow going to scramble back to 8-7 behind. This has been a dreadful frame. But they all count. Allen has seen enough. Zhang back to within one frame.
ALLEN 8-6 ZHANG (7-37)
Zhang puts together 16 before missing an easy blue to right centre. In keeping with the general vibe of this frame. Allen adds six before missing a hopeful double on a red.
ALLEN 8-6 ZHANG (1-31)
Not much you can say about Allen's latest visit to table as he rolls in a red before he misses a yellow by miles. Which just about says it all. Zhang trying to scrape himself together to build a lead.
ALLEN 8-6 ZHANG (0-21)
Zhang is making heavy weather of this visit to the table. All over the show as far keeping that white under control. But in goes the blue to green bag to extend break. That is the last pot of the break as a tough red eludes him before Allen misses red to green pocket. As many misses as pots at the moment.
ALLEN 8-6 ZHANG (0-6)
Allen with another miscalculated safety shot as he sets up Zhang with an easy opener on a red at the top end of table. That will frustrate the world No. 3. A real gift.
ALLEN 8-6 ZHANG (0-0)
Allen heads out of the arena as the crowd stretch their legs. Attritional nature of this contest is obvious. Nothing coming easy on this table. Onto the 15th frame of a possible 19.
ALLEN 7-6 ZHANG (65-56)
But Allen is not on the pink ideally off the blue. And he can't slot the pink with rest. Was a tough pot, but should have got it. And Zhang responds by failing to slide in pink along top cushion. Well, how did he miss that? Allen sees away pink and black. And the frame falls to Allen with Zhang clearly struggling.
ALLEN 7-6 ZHANG (47-56)
Well, tension is mounting as Zhang jaws the yellow having pieced together 21. Mark responds by brilliantly lifting the brown from a side cushion off yellow. In goes the green, and suddenly 8-6 looks certain.
ALLEN 7-6 ZHANG (38-42)
Golden chance to win this frame has suddenly passed by Allen. He loses position on 38 and is forced to declare. Zhang then compounds Allen's misery by smashing home a long red to regain access to the baize.
ALLEN 7-6 ZHANG (0-35)
Allen hasn't potted a ball for 25 minutes, but he could fill his boots here after Zhang misses a red at top end of table. Bad miss at this juncture. A big moment coming up for the Northern Irishman. What can he do here? Chance to extend his lead by two frames.
ALLEN 7-6 ZHANG (0-35)
Up to five hours of playing time in this final. Feels like there could be a few more hours left in this one. Zhang drops in a red over top cushion via a side cush. Just safety to follow.
ALLEN 7-6 ZHANG (0-34)
Well, would you believe that. Break reaches 30, but he fails to land on a red from potting a blue as white lands near a red and pink. And chance to win this frame has gone at that visit. So many reds in open. Staggering that he didn't find position on one.
ALLEN 7-6 ZHANG (0-17)
21 minutes since Zhang's last pot, but Allen then butchers a safety shot. Splashes reds all over the table as white drops into right centre. Fine chance then for Zhang to get hand on table and score heavily. Black and pink sort of tied up. So has to think out this break.
ALLEN 7-6 ZHANG (0-0)
And there we have it. A second re-rack of the evening. Frame wasn't going anywhere. Dutch referee Jan Verhaas setting up the balls again for the 14th frame of this final.
ALLEN 7-6 ZHANG (0-0)
Allen chasing three more frames for victory, but you get the feeling Zhang is not going to slip quietly into the night out there.
ALLEN 6-6 ZHANG (69-30)
Brilliant break of 64 from Allen. Dropping in a few reds down side rails. Just when he needed it most and he is in front again at 7-6. A see-saw battle. Will that give him the self-belief to make the winning thrust.
ALLEN 6-6 ZHANG (48-30)
Is Allen trying to pick up his pace? Wouldn't do any harm in terms of fluency, it must be said. If one of these players can run into a short burst of form, it could be enough to get this final won. Has been a very taut contest so far.
ALLEN 6-6 ZHANG (12-30)
Zhang producing a 30. Lands on blue and opts to head into the pack, but somehow manages to sink a plant on reds. And that will bring the break to a premature halt. Well, that was unfortunate. A reprieve for Mark, who carts home an excellent red using the rest.
ALLEN 6-6 ZHANG (0-16)
Boys are back on the baize then. And Zhang tucks away a delightful long red to get the party started after the interval. In goes another superb long red to the yellow bag. Looks very calm around the table.
ALLEN 5-6 ZHANG (73-19)
But there is not going to be any late drama before the interval, and Allen finally sees out the 12th frame. It is 6-6 in this Players Championship final. Could yet go any way.
ALLEN 5-6 ZHANG (69-19)
And it looks like that decision is going to pay off. Allen finalising the destination of this frame to square us up at 6-6. Looks like this match could be heading for a final frame. Has that sort of vibe off it. Zhang playing on for the two snookers he needs.
ALLEN 5-6 ZHANG (46-19)
Mark makes his way to 46 with little fuss, but frame still well in the mixer with five reds left on the table. Faced with the choice of double on red or safety shot. And opts to run the white up to baulk. Helped by a timely flick off a blue to push white down table.
ALLEN 5-6 ZHANG (6-19)
Zhang making a tidy run to 19, but can't get the pack of reds open off the black and loses the white. Left a long red, but doesn't drop and Allen steps in with a fine long red of his own. Would dearly love to drag this match level again before his cuppa.
ALLEN 5-5 ZHANG (28-83)
Allen left to rue that mistake. Had a glorious chance to get the frame won, but he can't take it and it looks like Zhang is heading 6-5 clear in the race to 10. Perhaps race is the wrong word. A break of 64 does the job in the 11th frame. One more frame to come before the mid-session break.
ALLEN 5-5 ZHANG (28-22)
Stunning long red by 'The Pistol' and he bounces the white back up to baulk for the pink. Much more like it from Allen. But he is then short of pace for position on a red along the top cush, and he can't can the red. Well, that is unexpected. Four reds left up. Big chance for Zhang.
ALLEN 5-5 ZHANG (13-21)
This match has been running for four hours. 10 frames, and no nearer to finding a winner. Allen this time breaks down, and is forced to run safe to baulk. An old school final this one.
ALLEN 5-5 ZHANG (0-20)
Quickly up to 20 in this 11th frame, but Zhang then misses pink to left centre and ends up developing a few reds for Allen. He did the hard work, but Allen could benefit from Zhang's trip into the pack. What will that error on pink cost him?
ALLEN 5-5 ZHANG (0-0)
And it is indeed 5-5 in this Players final. Suddenly the best of 19 frames is down to the best of nine for the trophy and the £125,000 first prize.
ALLEN 5-4 ZHANG (6-71)
Looks like Zhang is putting this frame to bed. Was a nice little cameo to catapult the frame to the snookers required stage. Allen returning to table, but looks like this final is heading back to 5-5. Nothing to split these two figures in Telford.
ALLEN 5-4 ZHANG (6-42)
Another cracking red to a left centre by Zhang after Allen can't cash in. Can he get this frame won at the second attempt?
ALLEN 5-4 ZHANG (0-41)
But he throws in a nervy blunder on a red using rest to a top bag. Well now. That is an unexpected miss. Allen returns to table.
ALLEN 5-4 ZHANG (0-41)
Some lovely shots by Zhang early in the 10th frame. Drops in a long red and extends the break with a terrific controlled shot using the rest on a red. Really is a delight to watch when he gets moving. A very technically efficient striker of the cue ball.
ALLEN 5-4 ZHANG (6-0)
Well, there you go. A re-rack coming in this 10th frame. Both players happy to agree. With red over a top pocket. And we go again with this frame.
ALLEN 5-4 ZHANG (6-0)
Great control on a long red by Mark to drop in the red and come back up to right side of blue. Goes right into pack. Hits pink on nose, but ends up on nothing. That is astonishing. Looked certain to be on a red. Just the safety to follow.
ALLEN 4-4 ZHANG (61-23)
Another poor safety shot by Zhang, and it is going to cost him the first frame. Has seen enough as he nods to the referee Jan Verhaas. Allen with a lead for the first time today. 5-4 to the Champion of Champions winner. Game on.
ALLEN 4-4 ZHANG (48-23)
22 break from Zhang before he is out of position. And chance has eluded him for now. This a real tough match.
ALLEN 4-4 ZHANG (48-1)
Allen won't be rushed on his shot selection. The Antrim man is averaging 30 seconds a shot. SIzing up this break. Almot sees a white nudge a red and disappear down the left centre, but he then misses straight blue to right middle. Opportunity to counter for Zhang.
ALLEN 4-4 ZHANG (15-1)
Containing safety goes all wrong for Zhang. So chance then for Allen to compile a few points. Easy starter on a red. Would fancy him to make a few here.
ALLEN 4-4 ZHANG (0-1)
Safety error by Zhang as white comes back off the bump of a middle jaw, but no damage done. Just the safety from Mark. But he leaves a red over a top bag. Which Zhang bangs in. No colour to follow. So another safety.
ALLEN 4-4 ZHANG (0-0)
A few early safety shots between the duo to get this ninth frame up and running. A real taut battle between the two men.
Welcome back to the Players
4-4 before they resume at 7pm with a possible 11 more frames to be played this evening. First man to 10 frames becomes the new Players champion and trouser a £125,000 first prize. Zhang raced out to a 3-0 lead today in Telford, but was dragged back to level by his opponent. Allen won the eighth frame on the black after earlier running in 101 with Zhang producing 82, 70 and 64. Should be a fascinating battle to the finish.
ALLEN 4-4 ZHANG
Zhang cuts it, misses, and Allen takes it instead! They're all square after eight frames, so tonight they'll play a best of 11. Don't miss it! We'll see you later.
ALLEN 3-4 ZHANG (47-51)
Unbelievable! Zhang can't get the black off the cushion so we're down to the final ball! he has to go safe.
ALLEN 3-4 ZHANG (47-33)
Zhang polishes up the reds. Now the colours are all neatly placed at the top of the table. Barring a disaster, he should finish this.
ALLEN 3-4 ZHANG (47-18)
Allen coasting to the frame until...he misses a red to bottom right! Will somebody please take advantage. So many errors. These two need a break. Zhang hits the baize and sinks a long red. Can he steal it?
ALLEN 3-4 ZHANG (31-17)
You won't see a messier frame. Allen looked certain to take it but the miscue has throw it completely. He plays a safety now but doesn't look happy with it, and that's because there's a red over the pocket. WOW! He overcuts it, and now Allen will sink it no problem. Surely he takes it now.
ALLEN 3-4 ZHANG (30-12)
Allen plays a dodgy safety but Zhang can't capitalise with an easy black, so his opponent is right back in it. Allen miscues now, what's going on? The red goes in, but he's lost position.
ALLEN 3-4 ZHANG (1-12)
Oh no! Nightmare, Zhang goes in off and leaves Allen with all the reds! He's not potted a ball in 27 minutes...now he has. Wonderful long red.
ALLEN 3-4 ZHANG (0-1)
Breakthrough Zhang in this eighth frame. Plenty of revs on that one, enough to get him out towards the blue.
ALLEN 3-4 ZHANG
A dogged frame from Zhang who stops the rot and takes frame 7. Just one more to play this afternoon.
ALLEN 3-3 ZHANG (0-64)
There's more work to be done here with so many reds caught up by the bottom cushion. Zhang sinks the ping and now the hard works starts. He has an angle on one more red to bottom left, that goes. Does have an angle on the blue? Just about. Brilliant, Zhang threads the white through the eye of a needle to get one. Surely he wins it from here.
ALLEN 3-3 ZHANG (0-22)
Better from Zhang. Allen's clawed back the three-frame deficit but Zhang still looks cool at the table. Oh no, just as I'm writing that he misses a red to right middle. No matter, Allen does the same to left middle a moment later and Zhang is back.
ALLEN 3-3 ZHANG (0-12)
Zhang makes the breakthrough in the seventh frame with a long red. He sinks the blue, but where are the reds? Somehow, Zhang digs one out to the bottom right. Another blue, another red.
ALLEN 3-3 ZHANG
A fifth century of the tournament for Allen who levels the match! That's more like it from the favourite.
ALLEN 2-3 ZHANG (56-1)
Allen hasn't played well here, but he's on his way to an equalising frame. He's among the very best at grinding out messy frames and he's doing that for the third time today. A plant on a red to right middle the highlight of the break so far as he reels together a half century.
ALLEN 2-3 ZHANG (9-1)
Not safe enough, Allen picks off a long red, sinks a black, another red, and he's off!
ALLEN 2-3 ZHANG (0-1)
Allen pings a red into the jaws of the bottom left pocket, which ricochets corner to corner before dangling over the same pocket. Zhang sinks it, bit can't get position on a colour. He plays it safe.
ALLEN 2-3 ZHANG
Zhang eventually concedes after leaving the blue over left middle. That one went on a bit.
ALLEN 1-3 ZHANG (79-51)
We're down to the bare bones of this frame. Only the blue, pink and black remain. Zhang needs one snooker. Make that two...he's missed the blue after Allen snookered him!
But then frame goes on!
ALLEN 1-3 ZHANG (74-44)
Zhang claws four back as Allen misses. He can't get another snooker on his opponent though, and Allen has a sight at the green.
ALLEN 1-3 ZHANG (74-40)
It's a good first go with the white behind the green and brown, but Allen escapes via two cushions. Zhang tries again, but Allen turns the tables on him and now Zhang is snookered. He misses. Four more for Allen. Three snookers required.
Wait a second. Zhang sinks the yellow. And now he's snookered Allen behind the brown.
ALLEN 1-3 ZHANG (70-38)
Allen misses a yellow and Zhang needs two snookers. He fancies it, and takes to the table.
ALLEN 1-3 ZHANG (50-38)
Ah, the fun ends. Zhang rattles the middle left with a red and Allen is back. Surely he can take the frame from here.
ALLEN 1-3 ZHANG (37-31)
Allen does not look like his usual self. He's really struggled for rhythm so far today and nothing seems to be going quite right for him. Sure, he managed to grind through an ugly frame before the interval, but he should've polished this one off too.
Instead, he makes a mistake on the black and now Allen is knocking in reds for fun.
ALLEN 1-3 ZHANG (16-17)
Seldom seen! Zhang nudges a red with the rest on his way off the table! Nightmare! That's left Allen right in among the balls.
ALLEN 1-3 ZHANG (0-1)
We're back. Can Allen break Zhang's spell? Not with efforts like that. He makes a terrible start to the frame with a duff bounce off the cushion, and gifts Zhang a red.
ALLEN 1-3 ZHANG
Allen shuts the door on a pre interval whitewash by polishing off the remaining reds. Now we've a match on our hands.
ALLEN 0-3 ZHANG (50-0)
Allen's finally making his presence felt in his final, but he comes up against a series of tricky reds against the bottom cushion. Wow, he misses a routine black and lets Zhang right back into this frame. Gasps from the crowd.
ALLEN 0-3 ZHANG (16-0)
The crowd try and get Allen going as Zhang pots the white. Can he find a red? He can. Now, can he punish Zhang this visit?
ALLEN 0-3 ZHANG (11-0)
A shake of the head, as Allen runs out of position. Zhang's tied up against the cushion but he takes on a red to bottom left. Misses it, but gets away with it. The reds are all in a bunch and there's nothing for Allen to get at.
ALLEN 0-3 ZHANG (5-0)
Zhang makes a rare safety error, concedes four points, and puts Allen in among the balls. A huge chance to get on the scoreboard here.
ALLEN 0-3 ZHANG (0-0)
A cagey opening to the final frame before the interval. Zhang wants to make it four, Allen just wants to get on the scoreboard. All the balls are in a bunch and white is miles away.
ALLEN 0-3 ZHANG
Allen misses a black from the spot! He concedes the frame and Zhang marches on!
ALLEN 0-2 ZHANG (1-70)
Zhang takes his time and makes it count. Every ball nets dead centre. He strings a run of 70 together before losing position and sending Allen up the table. Allen's back to the baize and sinks a red. Could he steal this frame?
ALLEN 0-2 ZHANG (0-39)
A brilliant black drops into right middle, and he's off. Red, black, red, black, red, black. Can he split the pack now? He punches through but it's a little thin. A long pot remains on, and he knocks it in.
ALLEN 0-2 ZHANG (0-1)
Sloppy from Allen who leaves a red over bottom left. Zhang takes the gift.
ALLEN 0-2 ZHANG
A quicker frame that one. Zhang doubles his lead with a run of 82.
ALLEN 0-1 ZHANG (0-74)
Zhang's wheeling away here. He splits the pack with a lovely shot and is very unfortunate to run out of position. Or has he? Zhang finds the angle on a red to left middle and keeps going. Frame ball beckons. There it is.
ALLEN 0-1 ZHANG (0-22)
What a shot that is, Zhang finds an impossible path through to a red that sinks cleanly into the bottom right pocket. World class. He's on his way.
ALLEN 0-1 ZHANG
Zhang steals it back! Just like yesterday, Zhang teases his opponent into a comeback and then wins it anyway. Brilliant stuff. A mammoth first frame to kick us off.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (43-55)
Wow, Allen pots a very tough blue to gasps from the crowd. Can he repeat the trick with the pink? No, he goes safe.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (38-55)
Allen grabs the two final reds and the two blacks needs too. Zhang's decision to get the blue safe looks better by the second. But can Allen pinch the frame? He grabs the yellow but can't quite flick the blue into the open. Now the green goes, and the brown. Allen is in control here, and he's yet to miss a pot in this frame. The blue offers nothing, and he has to go safe.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (13-55)
Allen gets an almighty fluke to left middle, but he needs three blacks and three reds here to get ahead. He gets another lucky red too! The first black drops in but he runs out of position. Zhang's snookered behind the green but he pings a red off the cushion and goes safe.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (1-55)
Zhang gets the long red but can't pot the brown. But he's playing very strategically here, each shot is played with such security in case he misses. It's a low risk, low risk reward approach, but it's served him well so far.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (1-54)
Big miss from Zhang. He could win it on this visit but fluffs an easy red with the rest. He's usually so good with the big stick. Allen narrowly avoids potting the white and leaves a red on.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (1-45)
Zhang adds a solitary red to his score now, and cleverly ties the blue up against the left cushion too. Back at the table, he misses a long red but white tucks in well behind the colours at the top of the table.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (1-44)
Allen sinks his first of the night after a lengthy exchange of safeties, but there's absolutely no colours on for him. Back up the table he goes. Very cautious from the pair.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (0-44)
Zhang runs out of position on the black, but that's a good start and he's safe up against the bottom cushion. Allen plays him up against the baulk, and Zhang responds in kind.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (0-44)
Zhang toys with a crowd who may have thought a 147 was on the cards, but he gets position on the blue instead.
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG (0-8)
Zhang sinks the first red of the night with a brilliant long pot. Superb stuff. A black plops into bottom right next, and he's off!
ALLEN 0-0 ZHANG
Let's go! A friendly shake of hands either side of the trophy, and Zhang gets us underway.
GOOD AFTERNOON!
Hello and welcome to LIVE updates from Sunday's 2024 Players Championship final.
After an absolute epic last night, Zhang fought off Selby to earn spot in the final where he goes up against Mark Allen.
The two have enjoyed a stellar couple of years. Allen has two titles to his name this season, while Zhang secured his first title at the International Open and finished runner-up to Judd Trump at the English Open.
Two titans at the top of their game. The boys get to the baulk at 1pm. Stay with us for all the action.
Zhang battles past Selby in epic Players Championship semi-final to set up Allen showdown
Zhang Anda won a 6-5 five-hour epic in the Players Championship against Mark Selby to set up a final with Mark Allen on Sunday in Telford.
Zhang raced into a 4-0 lead but Selby dug deep to send the match to a final-frame decider only for the 32-year-old Zhang to hold his nerve to progress.
It was a far more straightforward affair for Allen, who overcame Ali Carter 6-3 on Friday night to secure his progression to the final.
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