World Snooker Championship: Mark Allen: 'My career would be a disappointment without a world title'

Mark Allen said his career would have been a “disappointment” if he had not won the World Snooker Championship.

The Northern Irishman has won 20 titles as a professional, including 11 ranked matches, but is yet to claim the sport's biggest prize.

He will launch his campaign for the 2024 title at Sheffield's Crucible Theater on Tuesday 23 April.

“I won the British Championships and the Masters, two other majors, but I turned pro to win the World Championships,” Allen said.

“I think it would be a shame if I didn’t win a world title, that’s what I want to do more than anything.

“When you're a young kid and you start to become a world champion, the dream is to be the last black person to win a world title. That dream still remains and I believe I have a good chance.” World Rankings The third-place finisher told BBC Sport NI.

Allen added a second Champion of Champions crown, a shootout win and Players Championship success to his career resume in the season ending with Sheffield.

“I don't know if I've played the best snooker, but I've won more matches and tournaments than ever before,” said the 38-year-old, a two-time world semi-finalist. .

“My form goes up and down, but if I can keep getting results when I’m not at my best, it makes it a little bit easier to win whenever I’m in good form.

“This year's champion of champions, this was one of the most comfortable tournament wins I've ever had, and I played really well all week, but I didn't play that well. Even when he won two other tournaments.

“I can adjust well now and I don't have to play my best, but I would love to go to Sheffield and play really well and win comfortably, which is never easy.

“When I turned professional, all I wanted to do was be world number one and world champion, and that hasn't changed.

“If I don't win a world title, I consider my career 100% a disappointment. I don't mean this in an arrogant way, but I turned professional to win a world title.”

If Allen is successful in winning the ultimate prize, he will follow in the footsteps of compatriots Alex Higgins (champion in 1972 and 1982) and Dennis Taylor (champion in 1985).

“I wasn't born until 1986, so obviously a little before my time, but I'm proud to be Northern Irish and I'm very proud of the history of the sport and how much they've contributed to this sport. Know what you contributed.

“Alex and Jimmy White in particular have probably been at the heart of this sport for many years. I’d like to add myself to that list, but given what they’ve done in the game so far, they’re already very much part of the conversation. ” [as the greatest Northern Irish snooker player ever]. I will continue to do my best and let others judge.

“To add a world title to this is something very special and bringing it back to Northern Ireland.”

The World Championships will once again be held at the Crucible Theatre, one of the most iconic venues in British sport, which has hosted the tournament since 1977.

“that [The Crucible] It's very different from other venues we play. “The crowd is very close together and it's one of the smaller arenas we play in, but the history that comes with it makes it even more exciting,” Allen said.

“You want to be part of history. People have asked me in the past, are you going to leave Sheffield? I will because I've never won there, but if you If we had won there, it probably would have been different, and you never want that.'' This is a special, special place. ”