Mark Allen won the English Open, taking home £100,000 after a 9-8 victory over Zhou Yuelong in Brentwood, Essex.
## What happened?
The former UK and Masters champion defeated Zhou Yuelong in a late-night match, securing the top prize.
Mark Allen's win sparked controversy as he criticized the World Snooker Tour ranking system.
## Why it matters for Mark Allen
Allen argued that the current system is unfair, citing Neil Robertson's £500,000 win at the Saudi Arabia Masters.
The World No.7 stated: "I'm assuming with coming here and winning one more match than Neil won in Saudi and one frame less than he won that I'll be pretty close to him on the one-year list now?"
## What comes next?
Mark Allen will compete in the British Open, facing Jiang Jun in his opening match.
And with the World Championship on the horizon, Allen is determined to find glory at the Crucible.
The former world No.1 has set his sights on winning the tournament, easing fears of having to negotiate a tricky draw.
Mark Allen's concerns about prize money may be alleviated if he achieves his goal.
But for now, he remains focused on his upcoming matches, including the British Open.
So Allen will be hoping to build on his English Open success and make a strong finish to the season.
The 39-year-old has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the ranking system, calling for a points-based system to replace the current money-based list.
As the season progresses, Mark Allen will be looking to make a push for the top spot in the rankings.
With his English Open win, Allen has taken a significant step towards achieving his goal.
But he will need to maintain his form if he is to succeed in the upcoming tournaments.
Mark Allen's win at the English Open has sparked a lively debate about the ranking system.
The World Snooker Tour will be under pressure to address the concerns of players like Mark Allen.
And with the World Championship looming, the debate is likely to continue.
The former UK and Masters champion will be looking to make a strong statement at the Crucible.
Mark Allen's determination to win the World Championship is clear.
He will be facing tough competition, but his English Open win has given him a boost of confidence.
The World No.7 will be looking to build on his success and make a push for the top spot in the rankings.