Mark Allen is through to the 41st ranking event semi-final of his career after defeating Noppon Saengkham 5-2 at the BetVictor Scottish Open in Edinburgh.
The Pistol has been searching for form in recent weeks, but was back to his fluent best this evening in a captivating clash against the always dangerous Saengkham.
Allen spent a brief period at the start of the campaign as world number one, but has subsequently slipped back down to fifth. His exploits this week will see him move to at least fourth and making the final would push him to world number three.
The Northern Irishman is aiming to win this event for a second time. He first lifted the Stephen Hendry Trophy back in 2018, when he beat Shaun Murphy 9-7 in the title match.
Defeat for Saengkham means he will have to wait for a maiden ranking crown. He came close last year in Edinburgh, when he lost to Gary Wilson in the final. However, once again it has been a positive week in the Scottish capital for the Thai.
A break of 87 gave Saengkham the opener this evening, before Allen turned up the heat with contributions of 87, 120 and 127 on his way to four on the bounce and a 4-1 lead.
Saengkham responded with a stunning 136 to close the gap, but the high quality encounter was finished off with 105 in the seventh from Allen to triumph 5-2. He now faces China’s Lei Peifan in the last four.
“I played well there and scored heavily. I can’t complain. I only missed one or two shots in the whole game so I can’t complain,” said 11-time ranking event winner Allen.
“I’m enjoying what I’ve been trying this week. Just getting on with it and going for my shots. The games in York and in the early part of this week I wasn’t enjoying things. I just thought I’d get on with it and see what happens. I couldn’t have felt worse than I did so nice to see some balls going in and I’m scoring pretty well.
“I am confident, but I’m not taking anything for granted. I need to keep performing the way I have so far. I’m going to be playing a tough opponent no matter who gets through.”
It was China’s Lei who prevailed in the other quarter-final, winning a tense decider with Tom Ford to come through 5-4.
Lei was competing in the last eight of a ranking event for the first time in his career, having already beaten the likes of Shaun Murphy and Stuart Bingham thus far.
The final frame came down to a safety exchange on the brown. Eventually Lei conjured a brilliant pot and held his nerve with a tough cut back blue to get himself into a maiden ranking semi-final.