Former world champion Ken Doherty believes Mark Allen will never fully forget the missed black that cost him a place in the final of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible.
Allen suffered one of the most painful defeats of his career after losing 17-16 to rising Chinese star Wu Yize in a dramatic semi-final in Sheffield. The Northern Irishman was just one pot away from reaching his first world final when he missed a straightforward black off the spot with the score at 16-15. Wu took full advantage, cleared up to force a deciding frame, and then produced a brilliant match-winning break to complete an astonishing comeback.
Doherty, who knows all too well how cruel snooker can be under pressure, admitted the moment would stay with Allen forever. The Irish legend famously missed the final black for a maximum 147 break during the 2000 Masters final, and many fans immediately compared Allen’s miss to that painful memory.
Speaking about the dramatic moment, Doherty explained that these types of errors become part of a player’s career story, especially on the sport’s biggest stage. He said Allen would “have to live with it” because Crucible moments are replayed endlessly and remembered by fans for decades.
The miss stunned everyone inside the arena. Even referee Marcel Eckardt appeared ready to remove his gloves for the traditional handshake before the black rattled in the jaws of the pocket. Social media exploded within seconds, with supporters calling it one of the most shocking misses in Crucible history.
To Allen’s credit, he handled the defeat with honesty and class afterward. The world number one admitted the pressure got to him and said he probably did not deserve to reach the final after missing such an important ball. He also praised Wu’s fearless attacking style and predicted the 22-year-old would win major titles in the future.
The semi-final itself had already been filled with tension before the decisive mistake. The contest featured the longest frame ever played at the Crucible, lasting around 100 minutes, while both players struggled to gain control during several nervy exchanges.
Many snooker fans compared Allen’s heartbreak to famous misses from the past, including those involving Jimmy White and even Doherty himself. Online discussions were full of sympathy for Allen, with supporters arguing that pressure at the Crucible can affect even the very best players.
Despite the devastation, Allen’s performances throughout the season have shown he remains one of the elite players in world snooker. However, Doherty’s comments underline the brutal reality of the sport — some moments simply never disappear.
For Allen, the missed black may become one of the defining images of his career, a split-second error on the biggest stage that changed everything.
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