Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Mark Allen needs to win the World Championship to complete a career Grand Slam
ByRichard PetrieBBC Sport NI Journalist- Published50 minutes ago
Mark Allen will aim to make up for what he believes is "his worst season performance wise for a long time" by making a major impression at this year's World Championship at the Crucible Theatre.
Allen will begin his bid for a first world title with a first-round match against China's Zhang Anda, which begins on Saturday morning and finishes on Sunday.
The Northern Ireland player is a two-time semi-finalist at the tournament but has also suffered a series of early exits in Sheffield, including round-two losses in both of the past two years.
Despite bemoaning his standard of play for much of the campaign, the 40-year-old won the English Open and reached the semi-final stage of four other ranking tournaments.
He lost out narrowly to Jack Lisowski for the prize for the best performing player across the four Home Nations Series events.
"It's been a strange season, I won the English Open and have been in those other semi-finals, but I feel like I've been playing really, really poorly," said Allen.
"It has probably been my worst season performance wise for a long time but I've still ground out results.
"I want to play better than I have been. It's not through lack of practice and I've been trying to do the right things off the table, it just hasn't been my best year.
"But I've got a good opportunity to put it right over these next 17 days and what a time it would be to do it."
Having previously won The Masters and the UK Championship, Allen would like to emulate the feat of his compatriot, golfer Rory McIlroy, in completing a career Grand Slam of his sport's major events.
"I've always followed Rory's career. We turned pro at a very similar time and he has done wonders in the world of sport.
"It would be nice to follow in his footsteps but obviously Rory is a much bigger star than I am.
"Being world champion is the one thing missing from my CV. It's a decent CV but I want to improve on it year on year. I just have to continue to work hard and hopefully the form will turn."
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'Very tough' opening match
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Zhang Anda was in prolific century-scoring form in qualifying for the last 32
The world number 14 says his poor form is not as a result of a lack of application.
"I try not to panic, try not to over-analyse things and hope good form will come, but sometimes it's hard if you're continually working hard on and off the table and not seeing those results and not seeing those performances.
"There haven't really been times when I've played well and just been beaten by a better player. I've just played very poorly all the time and it's not good enough."
Allen, winner of 12 ranking events, faces an opponent who has yet to make it past the first round in five previous appearances at the Crucible.
The 34-year-old world-ranked number 22 player is a former International Championship winner and has shown up well in the recent qualifying tournament to progress to the last 32.
"Very tough. Played very well in qualifying, had five centuries in his final match to get through," reflected Allen of Zhang Anda.
"I've played him a few times and have a half decent record against him and I'm fully aware that he hasn't won a match at the Crucible also so I need to go out there and play well, take my opportunities, as he's a really heavy scorer."
The winner of the match will play 2024 world champion Kyren Wilson or teenage qualifier Stan Moody in the second round.
