Practice would not have made perfect says Allen as title defence is destroyed
SNOOKER
MARK ALLEN insists his Masters flop had nothing to do with snubbing the chance to practise on the match table first.
The defending champ stumbled to a shock 6-5 first-round defeat to Belgian Luca Brecel at the Alexandra Palace.
Despite having settled the slower of the two players, Allen believes not buying into a trial letting him warm up on the actual baize for 10 minutes was not behind his downfall.
He said: “I don’t think there’s any need for it. I’m not for it at all. A lot about being a professional snooker player is getting used to the table in the heat of battle.
“Being the defending champion I wanted that introduction. I didn’t want to practise for 10 minutes in front of the fans. But that had absolutely no bearing on the result.”
Allen battled back from 4-3 and 5-4 down to force a decider only for Brecel to hold his nerve with a break of 58 for what the world No.14 dubbed his “biggest win”.
Allen said: “I definitely didn’t want to give my crown up as easily as I did in round one. But I have no complaints.”