Stephen Hendry: Mark Allen's form has 'deserted him at the worst part of the season' at 2023 Tour Championship

Published 27/03/2023 at 21:19 GMT

Mark Allen was well off his best during his 10-5 defeat to Ding Junhui in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Tour Championship in Hull at the Bonus Arena on Monday night. While Ding is now through to the semi-finals, Allen must be concerned about his performance ahead of the World Championship that is due to come. Stephen Hendry is worried about Allen's scoring.

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Stephen Hendry believes Mark Allen’s loss of form has “deserted him at the worst part of the season" after his quarter-final loss to Ding Junhui at the Tour Championship.

Allen arrived at the Tour Championship as the No. 1 seed after being the most impressive player on the circuit for the current season.

But with the World Championship still to come, Allen failed to impress against Ding and registered just three half-centuries in a 10-5 defeat.

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Ding hit 10 half-century breaks, converting one to a break of 116, as he punished Allen’s mistakes and often kept his opponent in his seat when he was given a single chance to win a frame.

Speaking on ITV4 after the match-up, seven-time world champion Hendry compared the two players and pointed out Allen’s biggest weakness right now.

Of Ding, he said: “He was by the far the heavier scorer, [but Allen’s] scoring has deserted him at the worst part of the season.

“Ding kept on scoring, 50, 60, all day. Nothing was going right for [Allen].”

Hendry was also impressed with Ding’s consistency, adding: “He’ll be very pleased the way he closed the match out, you don’t like to stumble over the line, you like to do so convincingly.”

Ding, who is making his career debut at the Tour Championship, will play Ali Carter or Kyren Wilson in the semi-finals.

Alan McManus added: “For Mark to miss by that much was a concern. Ding won six of these frames without Mark troubling the scorers. A couple Mark only scored one point.

"The point is when the guys are anywhere near their best they win in one visit. You have to be on your game to do just that.

“If you’re going to be harsh, you make your own luck, the better you play, the luckier you get. You’ve got to score in one visit.”

Ding said that he was pleased with the win but looking forward to the match ahead, and was not focused on the idea that he might get into the top 16 ahead of the World Championship.

He said: "I’ve been playing good all day. Very focused today, took a chance well and I’m fighting hard. I’d been more confident than when I played the UK [Championship] final. It’s good to win a match like this.”

He also suggested that Allen’s problems may lie in his early success this season and he could be fatigued, saying: “He just maybe got tired when he won so many tournaments.

“He’s a good player in the UK final, tonight he struggled. He had chances as well, a couple of different things.

“Just trying to win more, more points to get to the top 16. It doesn’t matter, get back slowly, fast. I think about winning a single match.”

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