Selby survives spirited Selt comeback to triumph

3 years ago 41

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Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates: 15 April-1 May
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV and Red Button with uninterrupted coverage on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport app

Four-time world champion Mark Selby survived a spirited fightback to beat Matthew Selt 10-8 and reach the second round of the World Championship.

The world number two led 6-3 overnight but was forced to work hard for his victory in Sheffield as qualifier Selt battled back to 9-8.

But Englishman Selby, a Crucible champion last in 2021, dug deep to deservedly progress.

"I felt like my concentration was non-existent," Selby told BBC Sport.

"I was coasting at one stage, but you switch off for one minute and this game comes back to bite you.

"When you get under the gun here you can always buckle. At 9-8 I wasn't enjoying it, so I was glad my game managed to hold up under the pressure.

"I felt the only time I switched on was in that last frame. I was pleased with the way I held myself together."

Selt, 38, who had to win two qualifying matches to secure his participation in snooker's annual blue riband tournament, compiled a top break of 74 in the concluding session and won some scrappy frames to haul himself back to within a frame of forcing a decider.

But Selby, the 22-time ranking event winner, made his experience count and closed the match out, having made breaks of 73, 57, 56, 55 and 112 in the deciding session.

A disappointed Selt said: "I made a few unforced errors and that ultimately cost me.

"I had a poor start, so it's always going to be tough to come back against someone like Mark."

Meanwhile, three-time world champion Mark Williams and qualifier Luca Brecel are locked at 4-4 after the opening session of their second-round match.

Welshman Williams led 3-1 thanks to breaks of 113, 68 and 55, but Brecel won four of the next five frames, with a top break of 103 and two half century breaks, to leave the best-of-25 frame contest evenly poised.

I'm an easy target - O'Sullivan

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan

Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan says he is an "easy target" for criticism before his grudge match with Iran's Hossein Vafaei on Friday.

The 'Rocket' is gunning to make history this season as he tries to become the first player to win eight world titles in the modern era.

But his second-round opponent Vafaei poked fun at the world number one when he said O'Sullivan was "a nice guy when he was asleep".

Vafaei called for O'Sullivan to quit the sport last year and the seven-time world champion warned "don't rattle my cage".

Speaking on Thursday, O'Sullivan said: "Sometimes I need somebody to doubt me or to question if I can still do it because it fires me up.

"I like having something to prove. I don't take it personally, I just use it to fire me up.

"I hold no hard feeling to anyone because it's a tough gig and we're all trying our best.

"I don't take it personally. I've had it since I was a junior growing up, I had it as an amateur and as an early professional. It's followed me around my whole career really.

"[But] I think that I'm a bit of an easy target. If I do an interview about my own game, they'll [journalists] pick something out of that and there will be a headline.

"If I'm not playing they'll generally ask other players what they think about what I've said and the interview's about them talking about me. I can't win really."

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