Mark Allen has admitted he 'cried himself to sleep' after missing out on a £150,000 Home Nations Series bonus, which was claimed by Jack Lisowski following a dramatic semi-final victory over John Higgins at the Welsh Open.
Allen was the frontrunner for the six-figure prize after winning the English Open and reaching semi-finals in both the Northern Ireland and Scottish Opens. However, a first-round exit in Wales opened the door for Lisowski, who seized the opportunity by reaching the final.
Lisowski trailed Higgins 3-1 before mounting a comeback, eventually winning 6-5 in a deciding frame with a composed break of 78. The victory secured the bonus, leaving Allen to rue what might have been.
Taking to social media, Allen congratulated Lisowski but admitted his disappointment. 'What a break, Jack Lisowski. Fair play. Not sure I'm ever gonna win that bonus. Fourth time in six years I've been second,' he wrote, before adding: 'I cried myself to sleep after tweeting that.'
Lisowski, who will face Barry Hawkins in the final, said of his winning break: 'I was thinking just pot, don't stop potting until you hear them clapping. I had some stinkers, some angle shots you don't want when there is a lot of pressure on it. They were going in, and I was playing some really good stuff.'
