Mark Allen v Zhang Anda live stream | Players Championship 2024 Final preview
Zhang is eyeing his second title of the season (PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo)
Mark Allen and Zhang Anda go head to head for the 2024 Players Championship title at the Telford International Centre on Sunday.
The best of 19 frames will determine who is crowned the sixth different winner in as many years at the elite 16-man event, and who pockets the top prize of £125,000.
Allen is eyeing the 11th ranking title of his career – and second this season following his triumph at the Shoot Out – while reigning International Championship winner Zhang is aiming to capture his second during what has been a breakthrough campaign for the Chinese.
The two players, who are appearing in their third finals of the campaign, met at the World Grand Prix last month with Zhang ending the Pistol’s title defence courtesy of a 4-2 victory in the last 16.
Allen arrived for this event having suffered back-to-back first-round exits, but stopped the rot with breaks of 142, 112, 102, 94, 70 and 68 in a 6-3 victory over Mark Williams.
The final winner of the event under its former title of the Players Tour Championship Finals in 2016, he then overcame recently crowned Welsh Open champion Gary Wilson and Ali Carter to book his place in a 19th ranking showpiece.
Meanwhile, it has been a maiden appearance to remember for Zhang, who has put a couple of four-time World champions to the sword on the way to continuing his remarkable season.
Also a runner-up at the English Open, the Mighty Mouse had suffered early exits at the Masters, German Masters and Welsh Open this calendar year, but edged out Noppon Saengkham 6-5 from 5-4 down in the opening round.
He then hit breaks of 104, 102, 95, 84 and 79 as he surged into a 5-1 lead over John Higgins, before eventually wrapping up an impressive 6-4 victory.
Zhang also raced out of the blocks against Mark Selby with contributions of 129, 84, 80 and 69 establishing a 4-0 advantage. And despite being pegged back to 5-5 as the Jester produced a trademark fightback, he held his nerve in the deciding frame with runs of 50 and 37 to scrape over the line.
The world number 13 has extra incentive heading into the final, knowing victory would secure the final qualifying spot for the lucrative Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker at the start of next month.
Play gets under way at 1pm GMT on Sunday with the opening eight frames, before resuming at 7pm with a maximum of 11 at the Telford International Centre.
How to watch Mark Allen v Zhang Anda live stream
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