The quarter-final line-up for the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open is now complete, but Jordan Brown will not be among those competing after he lost his last-16 match 4-2 to Scotland’s Scott Donaldson in the early hours of Friday morning.
It’s a disappointment for the world No. 65 as time ticks away for him to climb into the top 64 and retain his place on the main tour next season.
The £9,000 he has earned for making the last 16 in Belfast will help with this, yet there is a long way to go.
However, when the dust settles on his tournament, Brown will hopefully reflect on it with nothing except pride, and perhaps amazement at how he made it to the third round.
He did so while carrying the emotional load of facing his club-mate and close friend, Mark Allen, who was clearly struggling from the moment he stepped into the Waterfront Hall for their first-round match.
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While the full extent of Allen’s mental health struggles emerged in the aftermath of his defeat, drawing much-deserved praise and support from around the world, Brown was left to discover the full extent of his mate’s struggles live on television.
The psychological weight for Brown of discovering that Allen was battling intense anxiety just to play against one of his closest friends one more time should not be underestimated.
There should be no feelings of guilt for Brown. As Allen himself clearly stated, it was his own choice to play, and he felt he owed it to himself and his fans to give it one more rattle.
Yet anyone who has been close to a person in the grip of depression or anxiety will understand how guilt can creep in, no matter what the circumstances.
It is a deeply human response to look back and wonder what more you could have done to help. Why didn’t I reach out more? Should I have noticed the signs? Brown will likely have turned those questions over in his mind, as any decent person would.
It is often forgotten that when someone is going through a traumatic time, those closest to them go through it with them. No matter how much or little they know about the person’s plight, they can carry it with them as if it were their own.
The guilt, especially in retrospect, of looking back and wondering whether you should have seen the signs, even when they were almost impossible to recognise, can be a cruel burden.
When Brown discussed how he was trying to focus on his own path, both on tour and in his life outside snooker, he was speaking from a relatable perspective. Life, no matter what it throws in your path, must go on.
The ongoing pressure of fighting to keep his tour card continues to weigh on him, and he has also recently lost his mother, adding to the strain he is dealing with in his own life.
He spoke of his love for Allen, yet his own personal well-being must remain a priority. No one can truly be there for someone in need without also looking after themselves, as the emotional toll can begin to wear down their own resolve.
It was a truly remarkable 24 hours following Allen’s TNT Sports interview, and it will hopefully act as a catalyst for a more open discussion of mental health, not just in sport, but in everyday life.
The two-time Triple Crown winner has never shied away from speaking his mind, but this latest, and certainly bravest, admission needs to help bring about a sea change.
Such searing honesty can only help to break down the barriers that have for far too long stopped people, especially men, from feeling able to admit that they are struggling to cope.
Yet for Brown, as leaves the Waterfront with a defeat to his name but a legion of new supporters behind him, he can now reset and plan his next charge to retain his place on the tour – and, with any luck, be there for his mate away from the public eye when the time is right for them both.