Mark Allen making amends for "lost years" of career as Antrim man remains upbeat over Triple Crown prospects

Allen is two third of the way to achieving the feat after previously winning the Masters and UK Championship, with the World Championship required to complete the set.

Only 11 players have won the Triple Crown, including greats such as Alex Higgins, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan, and Allen remains focused on joining the illustrious list.

The 38-year-old has overcome adversity to return to winning ways after struggling with well-documented off-table problems including bankruptcy issues, a divorce, and a custody battle after the Covid pandemic.

Antrim man Allen felt he would have to quit snooker, but he changed his life for the better, losing five stone after a close friend warned him he wouldn’t live to see his daughter Harleigh walk down the aisle unless he put an end to his excessive eating.

The ‘Pistol’ put his life back on track and hasn’t looked back, winning six big titles in the last two seasons, and becoming the world No.1 for the first time in his career.

“I think I am making up for those lost years. But I don’t want to look at it with any regrets,” Allen said.

“I probably do wish I did things earlier to make the changes off the table that I have, but it is what it is.

“I still did all right throughout all of that, but I’m in a much better place in everything, in all walks of life.

“I’m finally showing what my family knew I was capable of for all these years.

“I probably had the most dominant amateur career there’s ever been. That’s the sort of confidence I want to take into the professional game. I still feel like I have a lot more to prove.”

Allen – who dominated on the amateur circuit, winning the European and World amateur titles in 2004, before turning pro a year later – has been one of the major forces among the game’s elite in the past couple of seasons after putting his problems in the rear-view mirror and linking up with sports psychologist Paul Gaffney.

Only Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump have featured as regularly in the sport’s winners’ enclosure.

“Anytime you can win a tournament is good because the standard’s so good,” added Allen, in an interview with SportsBoom.com.

“I’ve won six tournaments in two years, but it’s crazy.

“Judd and Ronnie both won five last season, it’s crazy.”

“If you spread it across us three it makes it look like we’re winning all the tournaments.

“But the game’s hard, if you’re winning tournaments at any stage of your career you’re doing a lot of things right.”

The 11-time ranking-event winner is targeting the World Championship title to add to his Masters and UK Championship success in his quest for the Triple Crown.

Allen had a woeful record at the Crucible, reaching only one quarter-final in 11 attempts between 2012-2022.

However he reached the semi-final in 2023 and was edged out in the last-16 last season by John Higgins clearance in a decider.

Allen, though, is keeping is eye on the prize.

“I feel like there’s still a lot more for me to offer this game,” he said.

“There’s so much more improvement I can make.

“As long as I’m winning tournaments and ticking boxes along the way then I feel like I’ll always have a chance in Sheffield.

“I’m in a much better place physically and mentally for the challenge that Sheffield brings.”