'That fire in my belly is still there': Mark Allen wants to fulfil career goal of being World Snooker Champion
Snooker star Mark Allen says that whilst he feels he has had “a decent career” to date – he wants to fulfil a lifetime ambition of being a world champion in the sport.
The Antrim cueist began his bid to be crowned world champion for the very first time after overcoming China’s Zhang Anda in the first round.
An honest Allen admitted that he was so disappointed by his first session performance on Saturday – when he failed to rustle up a break over 50 – that he drowned his sorrows with a few drinks and “bad food”.
That mix provided the magic touch as Allen returned the next day to rifle three centuries in a six-frame streak to reach the last 16.
He now faces former Crucible king Kyren Wilson, who reeled off seven frames in a row to beat teenager Stan Moody in his opening game in Sheffield.
The 19-year-old from Halifax began his Crucible debut in blistering fashion with two centuries and two further breaks over 80 to establish an improbable 6-3 lead at the end of a memorable morning session.
Moody duly extended his lead by taking the first frame upon the evening’s resumption, only for Wilson to win seven frames in a row to shatter the qualifier’s hopes of emulating Ronnie O’Sullivan, the last teenager to win a Crucible match 21 years ago.
Allen, who is nicknamed 'The Pistol', won the Masters in 2018 and the UK Championship in 2022 - two of the three 'Triple Crown' majors - but he has yet to get his hands on the sport's ultimate prize, the coveted world championship title.
Sheffield has not been a happy green baize destination for him, though.
He reached the semi-finals on only his third visit in 2009, but had to wait 14 years for another one-table outing when he narrowly lost to Mark Selby in 2023
"I think in the grand scheme of things I've probably still had a decent career,” said the 12-time ranking event winner.
“There's probably only ten players that have won more than me, but I'd still say it's very disappointing.
"With all great respect to the tournaments I've won - you want to be world champion.
"That's what you start playing the game for. As a 12-year-old boy starting out I wanted to be world champion - you remember potting that long black to win the world championships.
"Yeah, that fire in my belly is still there. So I'd look back on it as a disappointment, but I'm sure that other people might say I did alright."
Allen’s clash with Wilson gets under way this evening over three sessions, with the first to get to 13 frames reaching the quarter-final.
However, Wilson revealed problems with his cue – which he intends to change after the tournament in time for next season – are threatening his chances of repeating his 2024 success.
“I absolutely hate my cue,” Wilson admitted after the win against Moody.
“It’s too flexible at the top, I’ve got no control, I’ve got no feel in my hand. I’m just fighting all the time.
“I’m just trying to dig it out with this one. It’s torture, but I’m trying.”