Mark Allen continues recovery, hopes to feel better for UK Championship

Snooker player Mark Allen says he is continuing mental-health treatment and recovery after receiving a wave of supportive messages, and hopes to be in a better place for the UK Championship in late November. He has not confirmed whether he will play, saying he is taking recovery one day at a time. Allen, 40, wrote on X on October 25 that he felt overwhelmed by the messages he had received since speaking publicly about his struggles. He said the response had reinforced his intention to raise awareness of mental health in the future, and thanked supporters for their encouragement to him and his family. The UK Championship is expected to begin in late November, with Allen saying there were nearly six weeks to go and that, if all went well, he hoped to feel better by then. His statement described a hope rather than a decision about entering or competing in the tournament. The update followed Allen’s first competitive appearance since losing to Wu Yize in the World Championship semifinals in April. At the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast, he lost 4-2 to Jordan Brown. After the match, Allen told TNT Sports that he could not see a future in snooker, prompting concern among fans. In a...