Adam Williams presents his prediction for the Champion of Champions snooker match.
Mark Allen
Mark Allen qualified for the Champion of Champions as the winner of last year's tournament. Allen defeated Igor Figueiredo 4-2 and Jak Jones 6-4. However, before this tournament, Mark Allen had been eliminated in the early stages of recent tournaments: in Belfast, Allen lost in the second round to Oliver Lines 4-2, and in Nanjing, he lost to Xiao Guodong 6-2. Allen has not yet reached the finals of any tournament this season, and this presents a good opportunity for him to play in the final.
Xiao Guodong
Xiao Guodong became Allen's opponent in the semi-finals. Xiao played two outstanding matches, securing a victory against Ronnie O'Sullivan 4-3 despite being 3-0 down. He also defeated Mark Selby 6-5, again overcoming a 3-0 deficit. Xiao is having his best season, with a victory at the tournament in Wuhan, a semi-final appearance at the International Championship, and two excellent victories in the current tournament.
Mark Allen vs Xiao Guodong Prediction
Of course, Xiao expended a lot of physical and mental energy in the two previous matches, so it might be easier for Allen, especially since Mark's opponents were less challenging than Guodong's. However, Xiao has shown that he can play well as an overtaker, which could pressure Allen to finish the match quickly without stretching it to a tense final frame. Everyone remembers Xiao's recent victory over Allen, so considering all these factors, Guodong has a good chance to win this match and reach the final of the tournament.
