Mark Allen has indicated that he might not return to the German Masters after losing 5-4 to Wu Yize in the last 32 on Wednesday.
The world number four made breaks of 56, 54, 53, and 50 to lead 4-2 before losing the concluding three frames to bow out of the running in 2025.
Allen has often struggled to produce his best snooker at the German Masters, reaching only one semi-final in 2022 and suffering from numerous early exits.
One potential reason for that is the unique setup of the venue in Berlin.
The Tempodrom is widely lauded as one of the best destinations on the calendar, especially in the latter stages when it becomes a single-table situation.
However, the initial arrangement, where several tables surround the main television table in a circular display, can be distracting for certain players.
Allen has expressed in the past his disdain for the German Masters, once even stating that he “seriously hated” the tournament.
And upon losing to English Open and Scottish Open runner-up Wu in a deciding frame, the 38 year-old once again hinted that his future participation at the event may be jeopardy.
“Not to be in this year’s German Masters,” Mark Allen, the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship winner last month, wrote on social media platform X.
“Well done to Wu. If anyone sees me back at this event under current conditions, [they have] permission to tell me off. Thanks in advance,” Allen added with a laughing-face emoji.
One player, meanwhile, who hasn’t been struggling with the conditions so far this week is Shaun Murphy.
The recent Masters champion has been in flying form, recording back-to-back 5-0 victories in the German capital city over Liam Graham and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
“I said after [the Masters], I was quite honest, that I wanted to try and really push on now,” the Magician told the World Snooker Tour.
“I really do want to wring out every last drop of potential from whatever is left of my career.”
“Maybe there might be ten years, there might be five years, who knows? But I really want to be determined to push on and not have such a big gap between successes.
“Does that mean I’m going to win this week? No, but I’m trying my best.
“It didn’t sink in at all for the few days after the win in the Masters. I said to some friends that it might sink in when I was introduced here as the Masters champion.
“That’s certainly been the case. To be introduced as a major winner again has certainly given me an extra bit of bounce in my step.
“More importantly, it has given me that self-belief.”
Murphy takes on Yuan Sijun next with a berth in the quarter-finals at stake and a potential clash against either Judd Trump or Neil Robertson to come.
Wu Yize’s reward for beating Mark Allen is a date with Alexander Ursenbacher – the lowest-ranked competitor left in the draw – while Barry Hawkins and Ricky Walden also feature in the top half.
World champion Kyren Wilson features in the bottom section of the German Masters draw, with the world number two set to meet Jak Jones in a repeat of their Crucible final from last May.
Zhang Anda is the only other member of the top 16 in this half, with the Chinese cueist up against Anthony McGill.
This season’s in-form Xiao Guodong plays Elliot Slessor and 2023 runner-up Tom Ford meets Aaron Hill in the round’s other fixtures.
2025 German Masters
Thursday, January 30th
Order of play (L16)
9am UTC
Wu Yize vs Alexander Ursenbacher
Barry Hawkins vs Ricky Walden
2pm UTC
Elliot Slessor vs Xiao Guodong
Anthony McGill vs Zhang Anda
Jak Jones vs Kyren Wilson
7pm UTC
Judd Trump vs Neil Robertson
Yuan Sijun vs Shaun Murphy
Tom Ford vs Aaron Hill
Click here for the latest scores and results
(snooker.org)
Featured photo credit: WST
