British Open snooker 2021: Mark Allen edges Reanne Evans in 'Battle of Exes', Judd Trump survives scare to advance
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Updated 17/08/2021 at 08:40 GMT
Mark Allen hit back from 2-1 behind to complete a 3-2 win over his former partner and 12-times women's world champion Reanne Evans in the first round of the British Open at the Morningside Arena in Leicester. World number one Judd Trump was also forced to recover to complete a 3-2 win over world number 97 Mitchell Mann in the first round.
'Sorry!' - Allen smashes balls to avoid losing match against Selby
Mark Allen won snooker's much-hyped 'Battle of the Exes' grudge match with a 3-2 victory over his former partner Reanne Evans in the first round of the British Open.
Evans and the world number 10 Allen were drawn together in a contest neither player probably desired set against the backdrop of an apparent dispute over child maintenance relating to their 14-year-old daughter.
According to media reports, the pair split in 2008 after a three-year relationship, but time has obviously not healed their differences with Evans roared on by a partisan crowd at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.
"It was awful and I wouldn't want to do it again really," said Allen. "She potted some brilliant balls under pressure. That puts you under pressure because then your safety has to be pinpoint and mine wasn't quite there.
"She was very unfortunate not to go on and win 3-1...I just want to play snooker.
"That's all it was to me, a snooker match. A win in the first round of the British Open and I move on."
Evans appeared to refuse to shake hands with Allen at the outset of the contest and was clearly fired up to prove a point against the former Masters winner.
"I was really proud of myself. I settled in, but top players do what they do and you have to respect that," said Evans.
I'm absolutely gutted, but proud at the same time. Hopefully, more women can start playing snooker and realise they can do it.
"With Covid and everything, I was told there were no handshakes. My head was blazing, I went straight to the table and that was it at the end of the day."
Allen recovered to pinch the first frame, but the tension of the occasion was obvious as Allen toiled with the fans clearly willing on Evans with the short format perhaps favouring the 12-times women's world champion.
Evans restored parity at 1-1 as the Northern Irishman faltered before a 56 break helped her move one frame from arguably the most notable win of her career.
The Dudley player was first among the balls in the frame she needed for victory and rolled in a fine 60 break, but missed a match ball red along the top cushion to leave Allen needing snookers.
Allen mopped up with a brilliant clearance of 47 to the black to keep alive his hopes in levelling at 2-2.
The Antrim man maintained his momentum as he slotted a long early red before pouncing with a brilliant match-winning clearance of 68 to secure his spot in the last-64 draw amid a palpable sense of relief.
Judd Trump justified his billing as world number one in the deciding frame of a taut first-round match with Mitchell Mann that he won 3-2 on the final pink.
The world number 97 Mann needed blue, pink and black in the deciding frame to claim victory against Trump, but missed the blue by some distance.
Trump, who compiled knocks of 52 and 62 from 2-1 behind, kept his composure to hole blue and pink to reach the last-64 draw.
"It was a close game. You are always going to get that in a best of five. You are going to get drama from the very start," said Trump.
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Two incredible Judd Trump shots - but which was better?
"It was tough for both players to score heavy. It was a battle in the end, but happy to get through."
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