December 29th 2024.
Stephen Hendry, the seven-time world champion, recently expressed his disappointment with the 2024 Players Championship final between Mark Allen and Zhang Anda. Despite Allen emerging as the winner, Hendry believes it was one of the worst finals he has ever seen. The tournament, which took place in Telford back in February, saw Allen claim victory with a score of 10-8 over Zhang.
While Allen walked away with the trophy and a top prize of £125,000, Hendry couldn't help but feel that the match lacked excitement. Only one century break was made by Allen, and he only managed to score one half-century in the other nine frames he won. On the other hand, Zhang had three fifty-plus breaks, but the overall match was more about scrapping than scoring. Years later, Hendry still holds a low opinion of the final, calling it "horrendous."
During the final, Hendry worked as a commentator for ITV and recalls how difficult it was to watch. He even goes as far as to say that it was the worst final he has ever witnessed. While he acknowledges that winning a trophy is the ultimate goal, he also recognizes that he has played in some "shocking" matches in his career. However, even with his experience, he found this particular final to be a tough watch.
Hendry believes that Allen's slower pace of play contributed to the lack of entertainment in the final. However, he also acknowledges that it's hard to argue with a player who has won five ranking events in just a matter of months. "There's not a player in the world who doesn't benefit from picking up the pace a bit," says Hendry. He also mentions how Allen's style of play has affected him, causing him to struggle in recent tournaments.
After his win in the Players Championship, Allen admitted that the match was tough and that he may have dragged Zhang down with him. He also mentioned that it wasn't a fun match to be a part of. Since then, Allen hasn't made it back to a ranking final, but he did win the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship in December of that year. He acknowledges that his pace of play has been a focus for him, especially as he aims for his first world title at the Crucible.
In an effort to improve his game and enjoy it more, Allen has been working with Lee Walker and his psychologist. He explains that there was a time when he was winning matches and even tournaments, but he wasn't enjoying the way he was playing. Now, he feels that everything is coming together, and he hopes to continue winning and enjoying his snooker in the upcoming year. He also mentions that the world title is the one missing from his list of achievements and that he will keep working towards it.
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