UK championship 2023: Scott Donaldson Achieves Upset Victory Over Mark Allen Following Personal Tragedy
Scott Donaldson, ranked 52nd in the world, delivered a stunning 6-1 victory against eighth-seeded Mark Allen in a late-night match on day three of the UK Championship. The win marks a significant achievement for donaldson, who has been grappling with the recent loss of his father, Hector, who passed away on October 2nd at the age of 70.
The match was deeply emotional for Donaldson,who chose to play “Babylon” by David Gray – a favorite song of his father’s,played at his funeral – as he walked to the arena. Visibly moved, Donaldson later reflected on the experience, stating, “Snooker is a game at the end of the day, it’s not life or death.” He added, “With what I have been through, I can tell you what’s important and what’s not important. When the pressure is coming on,I just tell myself ‘it’s a game of snooker’ and get on with it.”
Donaldson admitted to struggling with his composure initially, particularly recalling a difficult moment “until I got to the top of the stairs – and the last time I was in this venue was with my dad.” However, he found strength after winning the first frame, stating, “It was good emotion though.tough to go through but once I got the first frame, after that I was all right.” He built a 3-0 lead against the 2022 UK Championship winner, Allen.
Allen managed to win a frame before the mid-session interval, threatening a comeback. Despite the pressure, Donaldson maintained his momentum through a series of lengthy and challenging frames – including one lasting a full hour and another around 50 minutes – ultimately securing the decisive victory.
Mark Allen acknowledged Donaldson’s resilience, saying, “It took a big character to continue playing and all credit to Scott with everything he has been through. It looked like he was giving everything on every shot.”
