Mark Allen Seeks Inspiration from Recent Crucible Champions as World Snooker Championship Hopes Revive
Mark Allen, the 39-year-old professional snooker player, has expressed his determination to draw inspiration from recent Crucible champions as he bids to claim his first world title. According to a report by The Guardian, Allen is seeking to end a difficult season on a high note after slipping from first to eighth in the world rankings.
Allen’s campaign at the World Snooker Championship got off to a positive start as he completed a 10-6 win against Chinese qualifier Fan Zhengyi. The victory marks a significant turnaround for Allen, who had lost the first three frames of the match on Sunday. However, he rebounded strongly, booking his place in the last 16 with a series of impressive breaks, including a 102 in the penultimate frame. As quoted in The Guardian, Allen said: "It just shows that sometimes the form book goes out of the window here. Kyren had a shocker of a season compared to what I’ve had and he went on to win the world title. Obviously I’d rather have come into this tournament on the back of some good form, but if he can do it and Luca can do it the year before, why not me?"
The victory is a significant boost for Allen, who has struggled to replicate his previous form this season. Having failed to reach a ranking semi-final, Allen’s ranking has slipped, but he remains optimistic about his chances. As The Guardian reports, Allen’s resurgence is reminiscent of recent Crucible champions, including Kyren Wilson and Luca Brecel, who both won the title despite struggling with form in the lead-up.
Allen’s next opponent will be Chris Wakelin, who edged past former champion Neil Robertson in a thrilling late-night match on Sunday. The win marks a significant upset, with Wakelin becoming the only seed remaining in the top quarter of the draw after earlier defeats for Wilson and last year’s finalist Jak Jones.
In other matches, four-time world champion John Higgins overcame a tough challenge from Joe O’Connor, winning 10-7 at the Crucible on Monday. Higgins, 49, was visibly emotional during the match, admitting that he was battling strong feelings throughout. As reported by The Guardian, Higgins revealed that he had been deeply affected by personal issues, including concerns about his father-in-law’s health.
Higgins’ victory was marked by a century break in the 12th frame, which helped him edge 6-5 ahead before eventually winning the final three frames. As quoted in The Guardian, Higgins said: "That was the most emotional I have ever been today. I left my wife and I was in tears. Obviously my father-in-law wasn’t great [after a heart attack last week] and I was having dinner with my boy last night and thinking about sitting here with my dad 25 years ago."
The World Snooker Championship continues to provide thrilling moments, with debutant Zak Surety producing a memorable break of 104 as he clawed back to within three frames of former Crucible finalist Ding Junhui. Surety’s hopes of causing an upset remain alive, with the match set to resume on Tuesday.
As the tournament progresses, fans and pundits alike will be keeping a close eye on the performances of the world’s top players. With Allen and Higgins already making their mark, the competition is set to intensify, and The Guardian will continue to provide comprehensive coverage of all the action from the Crucible.
