Fans were left stunned as Wu Yize and Mark Allen were locked in a 50-minute stalemate due to a bizarre situation that prevented them from potting any red balls during the World Snooker Championship, resulting in the longest frame in tournament history.
Referee Intervention and Re-Rack Drama
The referee became the centre of attention at the Crucible, facing calls for a re-rack in the 14th frame as Allen held a lengthy lead. The players found themselves in a position where eight red balls were impossible to pot because of the black ball's placement, leading to continuous safety shots. As the crowd grew restless, referee Marcel Eckardt was forced to intervene.
Allen was eventually told that a re-rack would occur—meaning the frame would restart—unless something changed within three shots. This prompted the fuming star to consider intentionally fouling so the frame could continue. He potted the black, allowing Yize to take control of the frame with nothing to lose. Yize turned a 43-13 deficit into a 61-47 lead with two reds on the table.
Crowd Frustration and Commentary
Eckardt grew frustrated with the crowd as they ironically cheered each safety shot, at one point barking: 'We don't want that, settle down.' The Crucible descended into chaos as the frame became the longest in World Snooker Championship history. Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry remarked on BBC: 'Even if the black does go in, are there any reds potable? This is the dark side of snooker.'
A tense battle of safety shots followed as the clock ticked down, with Hendry adding: 'It's been a horrendous frame but it's helped Wu Yize so much. He didn't look like winning another frame, but the ludicrous nature of this frame has just helped to lighten the load on him and free him up.'
Allen joked with the crowd that they 'thought it was over' after a mini-break for Yize, but the frame continued, surpassing the previous record of 1 hour 25 minutes. Eventually, Allen fluffed his lines when presented with a snooker chance, and Yize saw the pink roll in to finally end the frame at 100 minutes and 21 seconds, levelling the match at 7-7.
Six-time world champion Steve Davis commented on BBC: 'In a nutshell, that frame is an embarrassment to snooker, and the referees' and the players' association need to try to work out a way so that never happens again.'
