Mark Allen v Lei Peifan live stream | Scottish Open 2024 Semi-Final preview
Allen is eyeing his first final of the season (PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo)
Mark Allen locks horns with surprise package Lei Peifan in the second Scottish Open semi-final in Edinburgh on Saturday.
Youth faces experience at Meadowbank Sports Centre for the right to face Wu Yize, who came from 4-2 down to defeat compatriot Xiao Guodong 6-4 earlier in the day.
Allen is gearing up for the 41st ranking semi-final of his career, while 21-year-old Lei continues to venture into uncharted territory.
This is also the Pistol’s seventh Home Nations semi-final and third at the Scottish Open, which he won in 2018.
The world number five now looks to reach his first final of the season, having already reached this stage at three previous tournaments – most recently at the UK Championship.
After defeating He Guoqiang and Ryan Day, Allen edged out Jack Lisowski 4-3 in the last 16. He then turned on the style against 2023 finalist Noppon Saengkham in the last eight, hitting breaks of 87, 120, 127 and 105 on his way to a 5-2 victory.
Meanwhile, Lei has demonstrated maturity beyond his age to reach a first career ranking semi-final.
The 21-year-old returned for his second stint on tour at the start of this season after winning the Asia Pacific Snooker Championship in March, and has certainly hit the ground running.
After reaching the Northern Ireland Open last 16 in October, he won four matches to qualify for the main stages of the UK Championship.
Lei then won two matches to reach Edinburgh, where he began his week with a credible 4-1 victory over Hossein Vafaei. The world number 84 subsequently came through two deciders against former World champions in Shaun Murphy and Stuart Bingham, before doing the same against recently crowned Shoot Out winner Tom Ford.
Should he claim another scalp here, an all-Chinese showdown with compatriot Wu would await. But to secure that, he must overcome Allen’s will and determination to land maiden silverware of the campaign.
The match breaks off at 7pm GMT on Saturday and will be contested over the best of 11 frames at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh.
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