Mark Selby
Encyclopedia
Mark Anthony Selby is an English
professional snooker
and pool
player. Runner up in the World Snooker Championship 2007
, he was the 2006 WEPF
World Eight-ball Champion. Selby has won the Masters
on two occasions, the Welsh Open
and the Shanghai Masters. Known as a tough competitor, Selby is also an accomplished break-builder with over 200 centuries.
reached his first ranking final aged 19, the Regal Scottish
in 2003, where he finished runner-up to David Gray, losing 9–7 in the final. Before that, he had also already reached the semi-finals of the 2002 China Open
, despite leaving his hotel room at 2 a.m. instead of 2 p.m. for one match due to jetlag.
Selby reached the final qualifying round of the World Snooker Championship
in 2002, 2003 and 2004, losing each time. Early in the 2005/06 season he began to be managed by former snooker professional and fellow Leicester resident Mukesh Parmar and reached the final stages of the World Snooker Championship, at the Crucible Theatre
, for the first time. Selby went out in the first round, losing to John Higgins but has qualified for the final stages every year since, including in 2006
despite a 147 from his final qualifying round opponent Robert Milkins
.
10–7 in the first round, having won 8 successive frames from being 5–0 behind. Selby then defeated former World Champion Peter Ebdon
13–8, with five centuries (including three-in-a-row) to reach the quarter-finals. In the quarter-final, he beat Allister Carter
13–12, from 11–8 up and 11–12 down, in a match that lasted well over nine hours. He went on to reach the final by beating Shaun Murphy
17–16 from 14–16 down, in another deciding frame which he won thanks to a 64 break. Against Higgins in the final, Selby trailed 4–12 after the Sunday sessions, but won all six frames played in the third session on Monday afternoon before the players ran out of time due to the length of the frames. Thus he entered the final session only 10–12 down and closed to within one frame at 13–14, but eventually succumbed 13–18. His performances earned him £
110,000 (not far off half of his pre-tournament all-time earnings). It was noted by eventual world champion John Higgins, amongst others, in his victory speech, that Selby was the most improved player on the tour. These performances in the 2006/07 season earned Selby a place in the top 16 for the very first time for the 2007/08 season, where he was ranked 11th.
Selby's wins over Lee, Ebdon, Carter and Murphy at the 2007 World Championships also won him the inaugural 888.com Silver Chip award for outstanding performance, awarded by the Snooker Writers’ Association at the post-championship ball.
On 20 January 2008, Selby won his first major tournament – the Saga Insurance Masters
at Wembley
. En route to the final, he had edged out Stephen Hendry
, Stephen Maguire
and Ken Doherty
, all on a 6–5 scoreline (and, in the first two cases, having been 5–3 behind). In the final against Stephen Lee, after leading 5–3 at the break Selby took control and reeled off five consecutive frames (eight-in-a-row overall from 2–3 behind) to win convincingly 10–3. Selby's play in the final was of the highest standard, with four century breaks and two consecutive tons to cross the winning line. His final-frame effort, a total clearance of 141, equalled the tournament's highest break and was Selby's best in competitive play.
On 17 February 2008, he won a close-fought Welsh Open final
, overcoming Ronnie O'Sullivan 9–8 from 5–8 down. However, he could not reproduce his Crucible success from the previous season. Despite going into the World Championships as one of the bookmakers' favourites for the title, Selby was defeated 10–8 in the first round by Mark King
.
The following year in the Welsh Open quarter-final, he was handed a writ by a member of the audience, supposedly his former manager George Barmby. Selby reached the final of the Masters again where he was runner-up to Ronnie O'Sullivan, and also reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 World Championship, losing 12–13 to Higgins, who again went on to win the title.
He opened the 2009/10 season
with two first round defeats, before coming from 4–8 down to beat Jamie Cope
9–8 in the first round of the UK Championship, scoring 6 breaks over 40 in those five frames.
On 17 January 2010, Selby won his second Masters title after reaching the final for the third time in as many years in a repeat of the previous year's final, where he lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan took a commanding lead at 9–6 leaving him just one frame from victory, but Selby played some of his best snooker of the season to overcome the three-frame deficit, taking the championship 10–9 and the £150,000 winner's cheque.
At the 2011 China Open
, Selby beat Tian Pengfei
, Robert Milkins
, Ali Carter, and home favourite Ding Junhui
, but was defeated 8–10 by Judd Trump
in the final.
At the 2011 World Championship
, Selby set the record for the most century break
s compiled in a world championship match when he made six in his second round tie with Stephen Hendry
. It was also a record for a best-of-25 match and took Selby's century tally for the season to 54, setting a new record for the most centuries compiled in a season.
At the Shanghai Masters
Selby won his second major ranking event by defeating Mark Williams
10–9 in the final, having trailed 9–7.
The win also meant Selby usurped Williams as the world #1, making him the first player to top the world rankings without previously winning the World Championship.
, who he has supported since childhood.
In July 2006, he won the WEPF
World Eight-ball Championship, beating Darren Appleton
11–7 in the final at Blackpool
.
He is also known to be a fan of darts, beating Eric Bristow
in 2007 and taking on Raymond van Barneveld
in exhibition matches.
Selby's nickname on the snooker circuit is "the Jester from Leicester", a name given to him by snooker compere, Richard Beare.
Mark's wife Vikki Layton, who often attends his major matches, is an Irish international pool player. They announced their engagement in August 2010, and were married in Mexico
on May 24, 2011.
| valign=top width=40% align=left |
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|Legend
|- bgcolor="#e5d1cb"
| World Championship (0–1)
|- bgcolor="dfe2e9"
| UK Championship (0–0)
|- bgcolor=
| Other (1–3)
|}
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
|width="80"|Outcome
|width="20"|No.
|width="50"|Year
|width="250"|Championship
|width="200"|Opponent in the final
|width="100"|Score
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| 2003
| Scottish Open
|
| 7–9
|- bgcolor="#e5d1cb"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2.
| 2007
| World Snooker Championship
|
| 13–18
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 1.
| 2008
| Welsh Open
|
| 9–8
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 3.
| 2011
| German Masters
|
| 7–9
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 4.
| 2011
| China Open
|
| 8–10
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 2.
| 2011
| Shanghai Masters
|
| 10–9
|}
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
professional snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
and pool
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
player. Runner up in the World Snooker Championship 2007
World Snooker Championship 2007
The 2007 888.com World Snooker Championship professional ranking snooker tournament began on 21 April and ran until 7 May 2007 at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield....
, he was the 2006 WEPF
World Eight-ball Pool Federation
The World Eight-ball Pool Federation is an international pool governing body overseeing international tournaments and rankings...
World Eight-ball Champion. Selby has won the Masters
Masters (snooker)
The Masters is a professional snooker tournament and the second longest running tournament outside the World Championship. Although not a ranking event, it is regarded as one of the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit, earning the second biggest prize money.-History:The tournament was held...
on two occasions, the Welsh Open
Welsh Open (snooker)
The Welsh Open is a professional ranking snooker tournament. It replaced the Welsh Professional Championship, which started in 1980 and was only open to Welsh players.- History :...
and the Shanghai Masters. Known as a tough competitor, Selby is also an accomplished break-builder with over 200 centuries.
Early years
Selby showed potential as a teenager, but did not consistently shine until his twenties. Hereached his first ranking final aged 19, the Regal Scottish
Players Championship (snooker)
The Players Championship was a professional snooker tournament. It is the most recent name of the ranking tournament held in Scotland every year. The tournament has had a bewildering number of name changes in its history. Until recently it was commonly known as the Scottish Open, and prior to that...
in 2003, where he finished runner-up to David Gray, losing 9–7 in the final. Before that, he had also already reached the semi-finals of the 2002 China Open
China Open (snooker)
The China Open is a professional snooker tournament. It is one of a number of ranking tournaments and began in 1997.-History:The first international snooker tournament in China was the China International in September 1997, a non-ranking tournament for the top 16 players and local players. The...
, despite leaving his hotel room at 2 a.m. instead of 2 p.m. for one match due to jetlag.
Selby reached the final qualifying round of the World Snooker Championship
World Snooker Championship
The World Snooker Championship is the leading professional snooker tournament in terms of both prize money and ranking points. The first championship was held in 1927; since 1977, it has been played at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England...
in 2002, 2003 and 2004, losing each time. Early in the 2005/06 season he began to be managed by former snooker professional and fellow Leicester resident Mukesh Parmar and reached the final stages of the World Snooker Championship, at the Crucible Theatre
Crucible Theatre
The Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
, for the first time. Selby went out in the first round, losing to John Higgins but has qualified for the final stages every year since, including in 2006
World Snooker Championship 2006
The 2006 888.com World Snooker Championship professional ranking snooker tournament was held at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, and was scheduled for 15 April through 1 May 2006, but continued into the early hours of 2 May 2006. Ending at 12:52 a.m...
despite a 147 from his final qualifying round opponent Robert Milkins
Robert Milkins
- External links :* * * *...
.
2007–present
In the 2007 World Championships, he beat Stephen LeeStephen Lee
Stephen Lee is a professional snooker-player from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, whose smooth cue action is regarded by some pundits as the most natural in the game. He has won four ranking titles, and spent 10 seasons in the Top 16 of the world rankings before dropping out for the snooker...
10–7 in the first round, having won 8 successive frames from being 5–0 behind. Selby then defeated former World Champion Peter Ebdon
Peter Ebdon
Peter "Ebbo" Ebdon is an English professional snooker player and former world champion renowned for his remarkably focused, determined style of play.-Early years:...
13–8, with five centuries (including three-in-a-row) to reach the quarter-finals. In the quarter-final, he beat Allister Carter
Allister Carter
Allister "Ali" Carter is an English professional snooker player, who lives in Tiptree. He reached the final of the 2008 World Championship, his first major final. Although he lost heavily to Ronnie O'Sullivan, this run allowed him to reach the top 8 of the rankings for the first time...
13–12, from 11–8 up and 11–12 down, in a match that lasted well over nine hours. He went on to reach the final by beating Shaun Murphy
Shaun Murphy (snooker player)
Shaun Murphy is an English professional snooker player, who won the 2005 World Championship. Nicknamed "The Magician", Murphy is noted for his straight cue action and his long potting. He is known for his dedication and for being a devout Christian.Born in Harlow, England, Murphy turned...
17–16 from 14–16 down, in another deciding frame which he won thanks to a 64 break. Against Higgins in the final, Selby trailed 4–12 after the Sunday sessions, but won all six frames played in the third session on Monday afternoon before the players ran out of time due to the length of the frames. Thus he entered the final session only 10–12 down and closed to within one frame at 13–14, but eventually succumbed 13–18. His performances earned him £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
110,000 (not far off half of his pre-tournament all-time earnings). It was noted by eventual world champion John Higgins, amongst others, in his victory speech, that Selby was the most improved player on the tour. These performances in the 2006/07 season earned Selby a place in the top 16 for the very first time for the 2007/08 season, where he was ranked 11th.
Selby's wins over Lee, Ebdon, Carter and Murphy at the 2007 World Championships also won him the inaugural 888.com Silver Chip award for outstanding performance, awarded by the Snooker Writers’ Association at the post-championship ball.
Recent years
After a moderate start to the season, Selby had a strong run in the second most important professional snooker championship, the United Kingdom Championship, reaching the semi-finals of the event. He led eventual winner Ronnie O'Sullivan 7–5, fell 7–8 behind, before levelling the match at 8–8. In the deciding frame, however, O'Sullivan made a 147 break to win 9–8.On 20 January 2008, Selby won his first major tournament – the Saga Insurance Masters
Masters (snooker)
The Masters is a professional snooker tournament and the second longest running tournament outside the World Championship. Although not a ranking event, it is regarded as one of the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit, earning the second biggest prize money.-History:The tournament was held...
at Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
. En route to the final, he had edged out Stephen Hendry
Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at the age of 21. He has won the World Championship a record seven times and was snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years between 1990 and 1998, and again...
, Stephen Maguire
Stephen Maguire
Stephen Maguire is a Scottish professional snooker player.-Early career:Maguire almost qualified for the 2000 World Championships, leading eventual semi-finalist Joe Swail 9–6 in the final qualifying round before losing 9–10, but first served notice of his true potential by knocking out Stephen...
and Ken Doherty
Ken Doherty
Ken Doherty is an Irish professional snooker player. He is the only player ever to have been world amateur and world professional champion...
, all on a 6–5 scoreline (and, in the first two cases, having been 5–3 behind). In the final against Stephen Lee, after leading 5–3 at the break Selby took control and reeled off five consecutive frames (eight-in-a-row overall from 2–3 behind) to win convincingly 10–3. Selby's play in the final was of the highest standard, with four century breaks and two consecutive tons to cross the winning line. His final-frame effort, a total clearance of 141, equalled the tournament's highest break and was Selby's best in competitive play.
On 17 February 2008, he won a close-fought Welsh Open final
Welsh Open (snooker)
The Welsh Open is a professional ranking snooker tournament. It replaced the Welsh Professional Championship, which started in 1980 and was only open to Welsh players.- History :...
, overcoming Ronnie O'Sullivan 9–8 from 5–8 down. However, he could not reproduce his Crucible success from the previous season. Despite going into the World Championships as one of the bookmakers' favourites for the title, Selby was defeated 10–8 in the first round by Mark King
Mark King (snooker player)
Mark King is an English professional snooker player. He has not yet won a ranking tournament, but came close when he was a beaten finalist in the 1997 Regal Welsh Open and the 2004 Irish Masters.- Career :...
.
The following year in the Welsh Open quarter-final, he was handed a writ by a member of the audience, supposedly his former manager George Barmby. Selby reached the final of the Masters again where he was runner-up to Ronnie O'Sullivan, and also reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 World Championship, losing 12–13 to Higgins, who again went on to win the title.
He opened the 2009/10 season
Snooker season 2009/2010
The snooker season 2009/10 was a series of snooker tournaments played during 2009 and 2010. The following table outlines the results and dates for all the ranking and major invitational events.- Calendar :- Official rankings :...
with two first round defeats, before coming from 4–8 down to beat Jamie Cope
Jamie Cope
-External links:***...
9–8 in the first round of the UK Championship, scoring 6 breaks over 40 in those five frames.
On 17 January 2010, Selby won his second Masters title after reaching the final for the third time in as many years in a repeat of the previous year's final, where he lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan took a commanding lead at 9–6 leaving him just one frame from victory, but Selby played some of his best snooker of the season to overcome the three-frame deficit, taking the championship 10–9 and the £150,000 winner's cheque.
At the 2011 China Open
2011 China Open (snooker)
The 2011 Bank of Beijing China Open professional ranking snooker tournament took place between 28 March and 3 April 2011 at the Beijing University Students Gymnasium, Beijing, China....
, Selby beat Tian Pengfei
Tian Pengfei
Tian Pengfei is a professional snooker player from the People's Republic of China.-Career:Tian first competed on the main tour in the 2006/2007 season, dropping off the tour in the following season....
, Robert Milkins
Robert Milkins
- External links :* * * *...
, Ali Carter, and home favourite Ding Junhui
Ding Junhui
Ding Junhui is a Chinese professional snooker player. Ding Junhui is China's most successful player ever, having become only the second teenager, after John Higgins, to win three ranking titles...
, but was defeated 8–10 by Judd Trump
Judd Trump
Judd Trump is an English professional snooker player from Bristol. He enjoyed considerable success in youth tournaments before turning professional in 2005. On 3 April 2011, Trump won his first ranking title, beating Mark Selby 10–8 in the final of the China Open...
in the final.
At the 2011 World Championship
2011 World Snooker Championship
The 2011 Betfred.com World Snooker Championship professional ranking snooker tournament took place between 16 April and 2 May 2011 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. It was the 74th edition of the event and was the last ranking event of the 2010/2011 snooker season...
, Selby set the record for the most century break
Century break
In snooker a century break refers to scoring 100 points or more within one at the table, without missing a shot. The player does this by potting and alternately. Scoring 100 points over the course of a whole frame is not a century, as it must be done during one turn at the table...
s compiled in a world championship match when he made six in his second round tie with Stephen Hendry
Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at the age of 21. He has won the World Championship a record seven times and was snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years between 1990 and 1998, and again...
. It was also a record for a best-of-25 match and took Selby's century tally for the season to 54, setting a new record for the most centuries compiled in a season.
At the Shanghai Masters
2011 Shanghai Masters
The 2011 Bank of Communication Shanghai Masters professional ranking snooker tournament took place between 5–11 September 2011 at the Shanghai Grand Stage, Shanghai, China...
Selby won his second major ranking event by defeating Mark Williams
Mark Williams (snooker player)
Mark James Williams, MBE is a Welsh professional snooker player who has been World Champion twice, in 2000 and 2003. Often noted for his single-ball potting, he has earned the nickname, The Welsh Potting Machine...
10–9 in the final, having trailed 9–7.
The win also meant Selby usurped Williams as the world #1, making him the first player to top the world rankings without previously winning the World Championship.
Life outside snooker
He is a fan of Leicester City Football ClubLeicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, who he has supported since childhood.
In July 2006, he won the WEPF
World Eight-ball Pool Federation
The World Eight-ball Pool Federation is an international pool governing body overseeing international tournaments and rankings...
World Eight-ball Championship, beating Darren Appleton
Darren Appleton
Darren Appleton is a British pool player, nicknamed "Dynamite". He won the first WPA World Ten-ball Championship in 2008 against Wu Chia-ching, the former world champion in both nine-ball and eight-ball from Taiwan...
11–7 in the final at Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
.
He is also known to be a fan of darts, beating Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow MBE is a British darts player, whose skill at the game in the 1980s helped turn it into a worldwide spectator sport.- Early career :...
in 2007 and taking on Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
in exhibition matches.
Selby's nickname on the snooker circuit is "the Jester from Leicester", a name given to him by snooker compere, Richard Beare.
Mark's wife Vikki Layton, who often attends his major matches, is an Irish international pool player. They announced their engagement in August 2010, and were married in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
on May 24, 2011.
Ranking event finals: 6 (2 title, 4 runner-ups)
{|| valign=top width=40% align=left |
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
|Legend
|- bgcolor="#e5d1cb"
| World Championship (0–1)
|- bgcolor="dfe2e9"
| UK Championship (0–0)
|- bgcolor=
| Other (1–3)
|}
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
|width="80"|Outcome
|width="20"|No.
|width="50"|Year
|width="250"|Championship
|width="200"|Opponent in the final
|width="100"|Score
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| 2003
| Scottish Open
Players Championship (snooker)
The Players Championship was a professional snooker tournament. It is the most recent name of the ranking tournament held in Scotland every year. The tournament has had a bewildering number of name changes in its history. Until recently it was commonly known as the Scottish Open, and prior to that...
|
| 7–9
|- bgcolor="#e5d1cb"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2.
| 2007
| World Snooker Championship
World Snooker Championship
The World Snooker Championship is the leading professional snooker tournament in terms of both prize money and ranking points. The first championship was held in 1927; since 1977, it has been played at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England...
|
| 13–18
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 1.
| 2008
| Welsh Open
Welsh Open (snooker)
The Welsh Open is a professional ranking snooker tournament. It replaced the Welsh Professional Championship, which started in 1980 and was only open to Welsh players.- History :...
|
| 9–8
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 3.
| 2011
2011 German Masters
The 2011 German Masters professional ranking snooker tournament took place between 2–6 February at the Tempodrom in Berlin, Germany.The event was last held in 1998, but it was non-ranking...
| German Masters
|
| 7–9
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 4.
| 2011
2011 China Open (snooker)
The 2011 Bank of Beijing China Open professional ranking snooker tournament took place between 28 March and 3 April 2011 at the Beijing University Students Gymnasium, Beijing, China....
| China Open
China Open (snooker)
The China Open is a professional snooker tournament. It is one of a number of ranking tournaments and began in 1997.-History:The first international snooker tournament in China was the China International in September 1997, a non-ranking tournament for the top 16 players and local players. The...
|
| 8–10
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 2.
| 2011
2011 Shanghai Masters
The 2011 Bank of Communication Shanghai Masters professional ranking snooker tournament took place between 5–11 September 2011 at the Shanghai Grand Stage, Shanghai, China...
| Shanghai Masters
|
| 10–9
|}
Minor-ranking tournaments
- Players Tour Championship – Event 2Players Tour Championship 2010/2011 – Event 2The Players Tour Championship 2010/2011 – Event 2 minor-ranking snooker tournament took place between 8–11 July 2010, at the World Snooker Academy, Sheffield, England.Mark Selby won in the final 4–3 against Barry Pinches, despite at one point trailing 1–3.-Prize fund and ranking...
– 2010 - Paul Hunter ClassicPaul Hunter ClassicThe Paul Hunter Classic is a pro-am minor-ranking snooker tournament. From 2010 it is part of the Players Tour Championship, and is the first of the tour events to take place in mainland Europe.-History:...
– 2011Players Tour Championship 2011/2012 – Event 4The Players Tour Championship 2011/2012 – Event 4 minor-ranking snooker tournament took place between 25–28 August 2011 in Fürth, Germany. Some of the preliminary round matches were held in Nürnberg...