Lei Peifan is through to the first ranking event final of his career, after completing an epic fightback against Mark Allen to prevail 6-5 at the BetVictor Scottish Open in Edinburgh.
It looked as if Allen was coasting to his 20th ranking when he led 5-2. However, Lei turned the match on its head and scored an unlikely victory with the clock well beyond midnight.
He can now look forward to a final against Chinese compatriot and fellow 21-year-old Wu Yize. The finalist’s combined age of 42 makes this the youngest title match in a ranking final since Paul Hunter (19) beat John Higgins (22) in the 1998 Welsh Open final.
It’s been a stunning ascension to prominence for world number 84 Lei, who until this week had never been beyond the last 16 of a ranking event. He’s already defeated Hossein Vafaei, Shaun Murphy, Stuart Bingham and Tom Ford to reach this point.
The winner tomorrow will pick up the Stephen Hendry Trophy, their first ever ranking event title and a career high payday of £100,000.
Breaks of 73, 97 and 55 helped Allen into his commanding 5-2 lead this evening. However, a missed pink in the eighth, with the balls at his mercy, initiated a barnstorming fightback from Lei.
He capitalised on Allen’s missed opportunity in emphatic fashion, claiming four frames on the bounce to seal an epic fightback win.
Lei said: “It is very exciting to win. Today I didn’t play very well in the first session. I was telling myself not to give up, just to focus on the table and play. It was my first time in a semi-final so I just wanted to enjoy the moment.
“I was nervous today and didn’t know how to adjust myself. It was only one table and there were so many people watching. In the second session I felt a little bit more relaxed.
“Myself and Wu know each other very well. We will just have to go out and try to bring a good performance for everybody to watch. Playing in a tournament is different to practising. It is the first time we have met.”
Allen said: “I probably got what I deserved for not winning 6-2. I missed the pink when I was 5-2 up and then everything started to go against me. I just didn’t close the match out well enough. I’ve got no regrets. He potted some good balls in the last, so credit to him.”