THE HIGHEST BENCHMARK
Allen aiming to conquer the World to cement his lofty status in the sport as a serial winner
MARK ALLEN is targeting a first World Championship crown this season after pocketing his third title of an impressive campaign.
The Pistol fired back from 3-0 down to stun Chinese star Zhang Anda (inset) with a battling 10-8 win in the Players Championship on Sunday.
And after taking home the £125,000 and an 11th ranking title, Northern Ireland’s top potter has revealed all eyes are on the Crucible Theatre as he guns to win snooker’s greatest prize.
“I want to keep winning titles, if I can get to 20 or 30 titles by the end of my career then I’ve done alright,” said Allen.
“But if I didn’t win the World Championship by the end of my career I’d be really disappointed. That’s what I’m aiming for now.
“This [winning titles] is what I’ve always wanted to do. Picking up one tournament every two or three seasons wasn’t where I wanted to be.
“I’ve made some changes off the table and they have stood me in good stead. I always wanted to be a consistent winner.
“It’s alright being consistent and getting to the later stages and keeping your ranking, but that’s not for me.
“I don’t want to be a journeyman who nicks the odd tournament, so to have won six tournaments in the space of 20 months is the sort of return I’m after.
“That’s what I want to work harder for going forward to continue being successful.”
Antrim’s Allen added: “There is a big six or seven weeks to come. To go in there [the Crucible] off the back of another tournament win is something to be positive with.
“If I can just find a bit more comfort in my technique I can be dangerous in these last few tournaments.
“Everyone knows that I can win without playing well. It would be nice to find some form.”
Allen won his sixth title in two seasons just shy of midnight with a hard-fought performance which lacked his trademark big breaks.
But after securing his fifth ranking title since winning the 2021 Northern Ireland Open, the 38-year-old left-hander wants to cement his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
And winning the World Championship, to join fellow Northern Ireland legends Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor, would cap a magnificent renaissance from a player who has been plagued with off-table problems in recent years.
“It’s a busy spell now and a lot of big tournaments coming up, with Sheffield being the big one at the end of them all.
“Hopefully I can keep going and winning matches like I am, but also find a bit of form when I need it.”