Antrim’s Mark Allen admits his biggest struggle right now is with himself despite battling into the third round at the Scottish Open in Edinburgh on Wednesday.
The ‘Pistol’ opened the season as the World No.1 but has slipped down to fifth after a tough run of results, even with a run to the UK Championships Semi-Finals in there, too.
But Allen has admitted, in an interview with SportsBoom, he is struggling for something technical in his game at present and has linked up with Mark Williams’ former coach Lee Walker to try and find it, conceding that it’s not an easy fix.
“I’m really struggling with myself if I’m honest. I’m trying so hard but it’s just not coming easy,” said the 38-year-old.
“I thought what I was trying wasn’t working so I swapped it mid match. I tried to speed up a little and went for my shots. I finished that first match off well, but some of that was lucky that I gave up the other thing that I’m working on.
“I just don’t know what to trust. I’m seeing things which are unnatural and your cue action I’m not trusting because I feel like I’m on the wrong line.
“I’m fed up of playing like that if I’m honest.”
Allen was able to reach round three at the Scottish Open thanks to a comfortable 4-2 win over Wales’ Ryan Day to set up a clash with Jack Lisowski and he knows that patience will prove key.
“What me and Lee are working on will do me good in the long run. But because I haven’t had long spells to work on it on the practice table, I was working on it mid tournament at the UKs, the Shoot Out comes and you don’t prepare properly there, it’s still really new,” he admitted.
“It’s a process, I know that. I’m just a bit lost. It’s only a short time we’ve been doing it.
“That’s the one downside with these tournaments coming thick and fast, you don’t get the time to work on things. It’s great when you’re playing well and riding the crest of a wave, but not so much the other way.
“It’s my own fault for not doing better at the start of the season and being able to pick and choose a bit more.”
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