Mark Allen has earned praise for his gracious public comments about snooker referee Tatiana Woollaston following the conclusion of the Masters at Alexandra Palace. The Northern Irishman, 39, exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage after a defeat to Judd Trump, with Kyren Wilson eventually lifting the trophy.
Wilson sealed his first Masters title with a 10–6 victory over John Higgins in Sunday’s final, an emotional triumph that also saw him avenge last year’s defeat to Shaun Murphy. While the spotlight was firmly on Wilson’s achievement, the final also marked a significant milestone for Woollaston, who officiated the Masters final for the first time in her career.
Allen was quick to acknowledge her accomplishment. Reacting on social media to an interview published by the World Snooker Tour, he described Woollaston as one of the finest referees the sport has seen, adding that she was thoroughly deserving of the opportunity and suggesting it would not be the last major final she oversees.
The Masters final was the second Triple Crown decider Woollaston has refereed, having previously taken charge of the 2024 UK Championship final between Trump and Barry Hawkins. Her résumé also includes officiating a World Snooker Championship semi-final, underlining her growing stature within the sport.
Ahead of the Masters showpiece, Woollaston spoke of her excitement at being selected, highlighting how significant Triple Crown events are not only for players but also for referees. Her performance and reputation have drawn admiration from leading figures before, most notably Ronnie O’Sullivan, who in 2024 described her as the best referee in the world.
Although one of her long-term ambitions is to referee a world final, Woollaston is unable to officiate any match involving her husband, professional player Ben Woollaston. The pair, who have two children, maintain a clear professional separation on the circuit. She has previously explained that they deliberately avoid overlapping roles and that she would not want to referee his matches even if it were permitted.
Meanwhile, Wilson’s Masters success brought further emotion as he reflected on his journey since losing the final in 2018. Speaking to the BBC, he described the match against Higgins as a gruelling battle and said it was an honour to face one of his sporting idols. Wilson admitted he rarely does things the easy way but took pride in fighting through adversity to finally claim the silverware and the £350,000 winner’s prize.
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