Mark
Allen played superbly to win the Ruhr Open in Mulheim, Germany – the fifth
event of snooker’s European Tour.
With
his trademark aggressive approach, Allen outplayed Ding Junhui in the final,
winning 4-1 to qualify for the Grand Finals in grand style.
Allen
afterwards thanked his coach, the 1979 world champion Terry Griffiths, for his
recent help in areas both technical and psychological.
Griffiths
is snooker’s very own Yoda: a guru whose words of wisdom are worth listening
to.
There’s
an old saying that success has many fathers while failure is an orphan: in
other words there are plenty wanting to take credit when things go well but
none when they go badly.
However,
Terry stays in the background. When we hear of his influence it’s because
players themselves mention him.
Griffiths
doesn’t need the limelight because he’s already had it – he is among the few to
have won the world, UK and Masters titles. He was one of the best known players
in the game for two decades.
His
strength is not only his knowledge of the game but also the fact he has been
there, done that. And he is a level-headed, calming influence.
Allen’s
win was welcome for a player blessed with great talent. I’m sure he is now
hoping to land one of snooker’s ‘big three’ titles this season. He is certainly
good enough.
Ding
wasn’t helped by his marathon semi-final with Stephen Maguire ending around 45
minutes before the final.
But
it was another good week for the Chinese, whose presence in the Grand Finals,
which he won last season, will enhance the event.
The
audience in Mulheim were superb: respectful but vociferous. It proved again
that those who want snooker to ‘be more like darts’ are quite simply wrong:
shouting out and boorish behaviour doesn’t add anything. You know when a large snooker
crowd is involved in the action because they are deathly quiet.
This
is what makes the atmosphere. And it helped see a very impressive Allen home
for another title.
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