After years of issues away from the table, Antrim’s Mark Allen believes he is making up for lost time after finally achieving a long-held goal of becoming World No.1.
The 38-year-old has been dogged by bankruptcy, a divorce and a custody battle – all of which took place during the Covid-19 pandemic – and his performances on the table suffered.
There were fears that Allen would hang up his cue altogether, however he has turned things around both mentally and physically after losing seven stone at the urging of a friend.
With a new mindset, the ‘Pistol’ has won six tournaments in the last two years to soar to the top of the world rankings and he believes he is finally making the most of his talent.
“I think I am making up for those lost years. But I don’t want to look at it with any regrets,” he told SportsBoom.com.
“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.”
He has been proving he is one of the game’s best at present over the last two years, winning the UK Championship in 2022 as one of six victories worldwide that has seen him ascend the rankings.
The Antrim man has also won two of the last three Northern Ireland Open titles, as well as reaching the Semi-Finals of the World Championship a year ago, and is delighted with his form given the quality he has to come up against.
“Anytime you can win a tournament is good because the standard’s so good. I’ve won six tournaments in two years, but it’s crazy,” added Allen.
“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.”
One that he would love to win is that World Championship crown, with the Crucible having been a particularly tricky place to conquer for Allen in the past having only reached the Quarter-Finals twice since 2012.
It is the last of the famous ‘Triple Crown’ that Allen has to win in order to become just the 12th player to achieve the feat, but he isn’t getting stressed about the challenge.
“I feel like there’s still a lot more for me to offer this game. There’s so much more improvement I can make,” he maintained.
“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.”