Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Allen’s in hunt for 3 in a row
MAN-OF-THE-MOMENT Mark Allen is out for a slice of snooker history at this week’s Scottish Open.
The Northern Irish potter landed the prestigious UK Championship, the first player from the country to do so since Alex Higgins in 1983, just over a week ago.
That big win was his second Triple Crown title after his 2018 Masters triumph and he now only needs the prized World Championship to complete the set.
Allen had successfully defended his treasured Northern Ireland Open title before his maiden UK crown.
And winning the Scottish, for a second time, would see him join an elite group of players to win three ranking titles in a row — alongside Ray Reardon, Steve Davis, Stephen
Hendry and Ding Junhui.
“I want to create my own legacy,” insisted the world No 5. “I don’t mean for it to sound arrogant, but there’s still improvement to be made.
“I want to be winning tournaments regularly. I don’t want to just show up and make up the numbers.
“I know even when you come second you’re doing better than most, but I want to be winning trophies, not coming second.
“If I can find another five or 10 per cent, then I’ll be hard to stop and I feel like I’ll be taking a lot of these trophies.”
Born-again Allen, who has shed over five stone and started working with a mind coach, begins his bid for the £80,000 top prize against Andy Lee in Edinburgh today.
Ken Doherty plays Gary Wilson tomorrow night, whilst Cork’s Aaron Hill faces Mark Selby tonight.