Mark Allen lands invitational title in Finland after two thrilling comebacks
Mark Allen says "he can't wait to go back" after winning the Taom Helsinki International Snooker Cup in Finland.
Whilst the competition isn't an official professional event, eight of snooker's top stars headed to the country's capital for a weekend full of action.
Allen began his campaign with a 4-2 opening round victory over world number two and former world champion Kyren Wilson on Saturday night.
On Sunday, the former world number one beat Ali Carter, who won the inaugural event last year, in a final frame decider.
Carter looked like reaching the final after moving 4-2 ahead but Allen stormed back to take the last three frames to reach the final.
He would face China’s Zhang Anda who saw off Judd Trump and Mark Williams in the opening two rounds.
Anda, who won his first ranking event at the International Championship in 2023, won the opening three frames to take a commanding lead in the race to six.
However, that was as good as it got for the 33-year-old as Antrim’s Allen once again mounted a spirited comeback.
‘The Pistol’ constructed breaks of 79, 105, 74, 111 and 72 to take a 5-3 lead and just one frame away from victory, which he duly obliged in the next to take the title.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Allen said about his success: “Extremely well run, lovely people who looked after us so well. Great crowd too. Can’t wait to go back.”
The event had a £210,000 prize fund.