Mark Allen weighs retirement after Northern Ireland Open loss

Mark Allen is considering retirement after losing 4-2 to Jordan Brown at the Northern Ireland Open, but said he would not make an immediate decision following the defeat. The match in Belfast on Tuesday was Allen’s first competitive appearance since the World Championship semifinal in May. Speaking afterward, the 40-year-old said he was overwhelmed and in a bad place, and that the recent months had made him question whether he had a future in snooker. Allen said he had contemplated retirement for some time, but would not announce a decision in the wake of a loss. He said something needed to change within six weeks for him to play at the UK Championship, which starts next month, and that he planned to work on himself before deciding what came next. The Northern Ireland Open marked Allen’s return after he had missed tournaments for personal reasons. He said playing Brown, a close friend, at the Waterfront Hall made the occasion meaningful, and that he might not have returned had he faced someone else. He described simply taking part as an achievement after a difficult period. Brown said the match was among the hardest he had faced and expressed hope that Allen would return to...