Mark Allen has said he is in a "bad place" and suggested his career could be over after losing to Jordan Brown in the first round of the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast.
The defeat adds to a difficult spell for the veteran, whose comments reflect the pressure he is feeling as the sport's competitive landscape continues to shift. Allen's frank admission about his mindset has drawn attention from fans and followers of the game.
The wider snooker world has been dominated by setbacks in recent months. Ronnie O'Sullivan has also struggled, suffering one of the most embarrassing defeats of his career and exiting early at the Shenzhen Open and Wuhan Open. O'Sullivan has described the slump as feeling "like a disease" and called his snooker struggles a "nightmare."
The sport has also faced off-table headlines. Former world champion Neil Robertson's peers have been affected by separate news, including the conviction and jail sentence of ex-snooker champion Dott, who was found guilty of child sex abuse and jailed for seven years, and who intends to appeal. Pool pioneer Fisher has also announced his retirement after being diagnosed with Parkinson's.
For Allen, the focus now turns to whether this defeat marks a turning point or simply another low in a challenging run. His own words suggest he is weighing up what comes next.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing