Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen says he is taking inspiration from compatriot Rory McIlroy’s dramatic Masters win as he targets a first World Snooker Championship success at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
Allen is a previous winner of both the Masters and the UK Championship, the two other tournaments which make up the feted Triple Crown, but the biggest prize in the sport has so far eluded him.
The 39-year-old says he aims to follow the example of McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam of golf’s four majors by winning at Augusta last weekend.
“There are so many comparisons. That was Rory’s [16th] Masters, this is my 19th Crucible. One tournament away from completing the Triple Crown for me, the Grand Slam for him,” reflected Allen.
“I watched every single shot on Sunday [of the Masters final round], I was glued to it, the ups, the downs, the drama. He’s won it, he’s lost it, he’s won it again, he’s lost it. To win it in a play-off, you can see what it meant to him.
“I’ll try to take as much inspiration from him as I can. If it’s not this year, I’ll be back next year for more. I’ll just keep working hard and hopefully that door will open for me like it did for Rory.”
Allen says he will adopt a similar positive mindset to McIlroy as he aims to perform to his optimum on snooker’s biggest stage.
“He said in his interviews how he tried to be positive every year and he always believed he had the game to win there.
“That’s what I believe here. I’ve won everything else the game has to offer so what should be different here at the Crucible.”
Allen arrives at the Crucible on the back of a largely disappointing season which has seen him drop from first in the world rankings after last year’s event to eighth in the current standings.
Despite often struggling to find his best form, the Antrim cueman did however win the lucrative Riyadh Season Championship invitational tournament in December and among his five semi-final appearances were the UK Championship and the Masters.
“It hasn’t been a good season. Can’t put my finger on why, I’ve been working as hard as I always do, I just haven’t played well enough,” explained the 11-time ranking event winner.
“I know I won out in Saudi but I don’t feel as if my game is as good as I would like it to be, but this isn’t a bad place to try and put that right.
“You look at the season Kyren [Wilson] had last year, he had a worse season than what I’ve had, but he walked away as world champion after 17 days at Sheffield.
“That’s what I’m pinning my hopes on, hoping I can find some inspiration here.”
Allen has twice reached the semi-finals of the World Championship but believes he has now established more of the ingredients for a potential success to add to his already impressive career CV.
“To win here you need to get the most out of your bad sessions, be mentally strong, pot a few balls at the right times and get a bit of luck along the way.
“You don’t have to play phenomenal snooker over 17 days. You’re never going to do that. Just compete, hang in there and hopefully the form will come.
“All you can do is prepare as well as you can prepare, which I always do. I work hard at the practice table, get a bit fitter off it and working with the sports psychologist.
“It’s not that I’m not trying to get better. It just hasn’t happened yet, but I still believe I will.”
Allen will begin his campaign against Fan Zhengyi in the first round on Sunday, the world number 46 who is one of a record 10 Chinese players in the 32-strong field.
The county Antrim player defeated the now 24-year-old 10-5 when they met at the same stage of the tournament in 2023.
“Fan is a very good player. He won the European Masters a few years ago, went a little bit quieter since, but is obviously back to form so I’ll need to try and compete very well.
“I beat him here before so it’s a match I’m looking forward to.”
