Loud fireworks being set off outside the Sichuan Tennis Center, presumably for a wedding on the Saturday night, could be heard in the arena during frame 12 of the Mark Allen vs Mark Williams semi-final at the International Championship, entirely appropriate given the potting carnage that was occurring on the table.
Allen’s breaks were 92, 71, 52, 54, 105, 55, 77, and a superbly compiled 67 while Williams chipped in with 120, 135, 70, 84, 49, 102, 46 and 86 to level at 8-8.
In characteristically phlegmatic and sporting style Williams was already well on the way to shrugging off the inevitable disappointment as he left the post-match press conference, insisting on the way out after the 9-8 thriller: “You won’t see many matches like that.”