SELBY’S A FURY HUNTER
Brave Tyson my inspiration
MARK SELBY admits he has drawn inspiration from world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury.
Three-time world champion Selby revealed last week that he considered taking his own life as a teenager – and later suffered a return of depression, for which he remains on medication.
But reading how Fury (below) bounced back from similar demons has inspired him.
The world No.4 from Leicester had a tough upbringing. His mother left home when he was eight, and father and mentor David died when he was just 16.
Selby said: “I have started reading Tyson Fury’s book, in which he talks about what he went through. He said he was suicidal but now he has obviously got himself back on his feet again.
“He basically says, ‘Don’t lock yourself away... speak to people’. I was doing just that, locking myself away, and becoming worse for it.”
Stephen Hendry admits he is still not ready for a drawn-out comeback after a series of false starts – but is now eyeing next month’s Welsh Open.
The record seven-time world champion was due to play this week for the first time on tour since 2012. But the 52-year-old pulled out of the Pro Series tournament in Milton Keynes when he was not given his preferred playing date.
The Scot accepted a two-year tour card from Barry Hearn in early September but feels he has not put in enough practice hours to avoid “embarrassment”.
Hendry, now considering February’s Home Nations event, said: “The aim is to possibly play at the Crucible so I would have to play in something before those qualifiers. “The Welsh Open in February could be an option now. The Pro Series is played over two phases, this month and in March.
“I requested to play in March and said when I entered that I would withdraw if I was drawn in January. I am just not ready because I haven’t played enough.
“I would just embarrass myself. I might still do that in March, but I definitely would this month. I want to have a chance of playing quite well.”
March priority was given to players coming from overseas with travel and quarantine issues.