Players Championship: Mark Allen’s title defence ended in first round by Kyren Wilson
Dominant champion Mark Allen exited the player title in a 6-3 win at the Telford International Center.
Wilson ranked second in the world with a strong ranking, leading 3-1 after the first session.
Northern Ireland Allen re-integrated at three frames after the game resumed, but 33-year-old Wilson always looked sharp.
The world champion didn’t reach his best, but Allen was unable to take advantage of the advantage, and the British took away three consecutive victories.
Wilson will face Mark Williams in the quarterfinals in the fifth-place world, 6-2 win over Ding Junhui.
Allen, 39, needs a victory to earn hope for the Tour Championship, and the world’s fifth-place focus will turn to his efforts to win the World Snooker Championship for the first time in the Crucible next month.
