The Northern Irish star has been absent since his heartbreaking World Championship semi-final loss, but as rumours swirl, we must remember his silence is there for a reason.
You could search the world and struggle to find anyone who would have swapped places with Mark Allen in early May, when he missed a regulation black to reach his first World Championship final.
The Northern Irishman was gracious in defeat, and in the weeks after that soul-crushing loss, he admitted that the missed black still caused him unrest. But what has unfolded since has become one of the stories of the season.
Creating no stories has made Allen the big story
Allen, who was expected to be as prolific as ever in his hunt for more titles, has yet to make an appearance this season, pulling out from all six events played so far – and soon to be seven with his withdrawal from the Shenzhen Open later this month.
With “personal reasons” the only explanation offered for his absence, the rumour mill has inevitably begun to turn. But while Allen’s disappearance from the sport is undoubtedly unusual for a player who travels the world year after year to play as many events as possible, turning that absence into a stor...