Allen has now secured victory in his last six ranking finals, a streak that began at the 2022 Northern Ireland Open.
Mark Allen withstood a tenacious comeback from Zhou Yuelong of China to emerge victorious at the English Open, clinching the title in a final-frame decider and marking his first ranking win in 19 months.
Allen, representing Northern Ireland, held a commanding 6-2 and 7-3 lead in Sunday’s final held in Brentwood, before Zhou mounted a remarkable surge, claiming five consecutive frames to seize the lead for the first time.
However, Allen, a former world number one, demonstrated his resilience by securing the final two frames, ultimately winning the match 9-8 after a grueling seven-hour contest spanning two sessions.
This victory marks Allen’s 12th ranking title and his first since the Players Championship in February 2024.
With Sunday’s triumph, the 39-year-old Allen claimed the £100,000 top prize and hoisted the Steve Davis Trophy for the first time in his career.
The win capped off an impressive week for the former UK Championship and Masters winner, who also navigated through final-frame deciders against Stuart Bingham, Ding Junhui, Elliot Slessor, and Jak Jones en route to the final.
“I thought Zhou battled really hard in that second session, he played some good stuff,” Allen acknowledged.
“He put me under pressure, I missed a few balls and I was nervous. I missed a few that I shouldn’t have but at 8-7 I suddenly switched on a bit.”
“It’s a good trait to have. I don’t want to keep relying on it but I felt as good as any part of the match in those last two frames, but I feel for Zhou, he probably deserved that for the character he showed.”
Despite winning five consecutive frames in the evening session, Zhou ultimately fell short in his quest for a maiden ranking title.
Allen’s tournament was characterized by remarkable comebacks, including a late-night rally from 4-0 down to defeat Slessor in Friday’s quarter-final.
Allen also required the final three frames to overcome Jones 6-5 in Saturday’s semi-final, but against Zhou – whom he previously defeated in the 2022 Northern Ireland Open final – he started strongly.
He delivered a superb 132 clearance to win the opening frame, and while Zhou responded immediately, Allen secured five of the remaining six frames in the opening session to establish control.
At that juncture, Allen appeared to be in a strong position, but Zhou orchestrated a remarkable turnaround in his pursuit of a first ranking triumph.
After splitting the first two frames of an evening session marked by prolonged safety exchanges, Zhou – who had previously defeated former world champions Mark Williams, Luca Brecel, and Mark Selby to reach the final – won four consecutive frames to level the score at 7-7 against an increasingly unsettled Allen.
A break of 53 then propelled Zhou into the lead for the first time, but Allen, for the fifth time in the tournament, found the resolve to win the last two frames and secure the title in dramatic fashion.
“I felt really relaxed today but I don’t know why, I haven’t slept much because I’ve been here most of the time,” Allen said.
“I felt so tired all day and then at 8-7 I thought ‘this is it’. It was make-or-break and that gave me a bit more energy.”