Allen recovers from 'embarrassing' start to win

Former world number one Mark Allen fought back from an "absolutely embarrassing" first session to beat China's Zhang Anda 10-6 and move into the last 16 of the World Championship. Northern Ireland's Allen trailed 5-3 after Saturday's first session at the Crucible without making a break of 50, and spent the evening having "some drinks with my mates, a few more drinks and watching the football". But on Sunday he looked a different player.

The 40-year-old produced a magnificent clearance of 140 to start his recovery, following that with a break of 109. His third century in five frames came with a 129 to move one away from victory, which he sealed with a break of 81. Zhang, who has lost in the first round on all six Crucible appearances, scored only 42 points in the last six frames as Allen stormed through.

Three-time champion and 2025 runner-up Mark Williams, 51, cruised into the next round thanks to a 10-4 win over 22-year-old Antoni Kowalski, the first Polish player to qualify. Williams led 6-3 after the first session and Kowalski - the same age as the Welshman's oldest child - took the first frame, but breaks of 65 and 115 left the veteran one frame from the win, which he took by winning the 14th frame on the black. "He is a cracking potter and with a little bit of experience he is definitely one to watch out for," said Williams.

"He started off like a train and it could have been 2-0. I won 10-4 but it was closer than the scoreline suggests. "I missed a few easy balls, a few long ones by three feet, and the older you get the more you miss easy balls.