Masters 2024: Mark Allen makes 147 before fighting back to beat Mark Selby and reach semi-finals

Mark Allen made a superb 147 maximum break, then came from 4-1 down to beat Mark Selby 6-5 in the quarter-finals of the Masters at Alexandra Palace.

The Northern Irishman’s effort follows Ding Junhui, who made his second maximum at the tournament on Tuesday.

Kirk Stevens (1984) and Marco Fu (2015) are the only other players to have achieved a 147 at the Masters.

Ali Carter had earlier beaten reigning champion Judd Trump 6-5 and will face Allen in Saturday evening’s semi-final.

“To do it here [make a 147] at the Masters, one of the Triple Crown events, is very special,” Allen, who won the Masters in 2018, told BBC Sport.

“It wasn’t the best cue ball in the world but it made it more exciting for the crowd and a bit more nerve-wracking for me but I am glad I have done it for the fans.”

Allen’s moment of snooker perfection in the third frame was out of keeping with a protracted and largely error-strewn affair, which went into Saturday morning.

His effort deservedly received the adulation and applause of the packed auditorium and there were fist bumps all round with fans, as Selby also congratulated him on the 196th maximum ever made in professional snooker.

His 147 also means he is in line to share the £15,000 high break prize, and alongside Ding and Xu Si, he could yet claim a £147,000 bonus at the Crucible in April – awarded if any player makes two 147s across the three Triple Crown events this term.