Mark Allen edges Barry Hawkins to reach Worlds last four

Mark Allen kept his boldest career dream alive with a nerve-shredding 13-12 win over Barry Hawkins, moving into the World Championship semi-finals and pushing his bid to become the oldest first-time champion of the modern era another step forward.

The scoreline tells the story: this was tight, draining, and decided on the finest margins. Allen did not sprint past Hawkins; he outlasted him. Reports indicate the contest swung deep into a deciding frame, with both players forced to live shot by shot under the heaviest pressure the tournament can offer.

Allen's run now carries more than tournament momentum; it carries the weight of a rare piece of snooker history.

That is what gives this result its edge. Semi-final places always matter, but this one lands differently because of what sits behind it. Allen is no longer just chasing another strong finish at the Crucible. He is chasing a place in the record books, and each win sharpens the sense that an opportunity once seen as distant has become real.

Hawkins, meanwhile, pushed Allen all the way and underlined why he remains such a dangerous opponent on this stage. A one-frame defeat at this point in the tournament leaves almost no room for regret and no shortage of what-ifs. Sources suggest the match demanded control as much as flair, and Allen found just enough of both when it mattered most.

What comes next

Now the stakes climb again. The semi-finals will test whether Allen can turn resilience into something even bigger: a genuine title charge with history attached to it. That matters beyond one player or one match, because it turns the closing days of the championship into a referendum on experience, endurance, and whether a long pursuit can finally end with the sport's biggest prize.