ALLEN ON CUE TO RUIN IT FOR SPECIAL RON
BY HECTOR NUNNS
MARK ALLEN is hell-bent on denying Ronnie O’Sullivan a fairy-tale ending to his film.
The Rocket has had a documentary crew following him this season for wartsand-all footage of the sport’s maverick box office star.
And world No.1 O’Sullivan could provide some story by winning the Betfred World Championship for a seventh time and equalling Stephen Hendry’s record. But fierce competitor Allen (left), 36, beat his rival in their only previous Crucible clash – at the same last-16 stage 13 years ago.
And while the world No.15 fully expects O’Sullivan (right) to match or beat Hendry’s mark before he hangs up his cue, Allen is determined that will not be this year.
Allen’s more recent record in Sheffield is underwhelming, having reached the quarterfinals just once in a decade. But he said: “They may want the footage of him equalling the record and lifting the trophy. Of course I want to ruin that, and so will other players. “It’s not the Ronnie O’Sullivan show here at the Crucible, even if that’s what his documentary might be. We appreciate how good he is and what he brings to the game but there are players standing in his way before he can even think about the title.
“I beat him in our only previous Crucible meeting so I’ll try to take those good memories into the match.
“He looks in a good place so far, but we all know how quickly that can change.
“So it is up to me to go out there Friday and Saturday, try to play well and maybe get under his skin a little bit.”
The two events where Allen feels the pressure most are here at the blue-riband tournament, and back home in Northern Ireland.
But he finally overcame that in Belfast this season to lift the trophy, and he added: “The two tournaments where I feel it are here and in Belfast, but it is a totally different pressure.
“There, other people want me to do well. At the Crucible, I want me to do well.”