Former Hong Kong star Mark McMahon reached the semi-finals of the World Indoor Pairs Championships in Preston, England, after a stunning defeat of number-one seeds and defending champions Tony Allcock and Mervyn King of England.
Partnering Australian Stephen Glasson, McMahon struck top form, emerging triumphant after a five-set thriller which lasted three hours and 45 minutes.
Allcock and King won the opening set 7-6 before McMahon and Glasson dominated the second of the five-set contest 7-4.
The English duo took the third set 7-1 but McMahon stepped up a gear and won the fourth set 7-6. In the decisive fifth set, McMahon and Glasson took a 6-3 lead before losing a count of two shots. However, on the eighth end, they collected the vital single required for victory for a 6-7, 7-4, 1-7, 7-6, 7-5 win.
McMahon now faces Scots Richard Corsie and Graham Robertson and said: 'I'm thrilled to be through to this stage and to have beaten the title holders.' McMahon clashes with former teammate Noel Kennedy in the opening world singles match on Saturday.
