Selby: I’m delighted to equal Hendry’s record
BUT LEICESTER STAR WANTS MORE TRIPLE CROWN TITLES
MARK Selby admits equalling Stephen Hendry’s records is beyond even his wildest dreams after transforming his fortunes and winning an 11th consecutive ranking event final at the Scottish Open, writes Will Jennings of Sportsbeat.
The Jester from Leicester blew away six-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-3 in Milton Keynes to defend his title and draw level with the great Hendry’s record in finals.
The three-time Crucible king once endured a barren spell in finals but reckons banishing his finish line demons is revitalising his career.
The jubilant 37-year-old said: “It’s fantastic. Stephen’s one of the all-time greats and one of the players that I looked up to when I was a young lad growing up, aged 12 or 13, when I was trying to become a professional myself. It’s fantastic to be able to even equal one record of his.
“He’s got many records which seem to be getting broken now, with Ronnie and Judd [Trump] around, but to equal that is fantastic.
“I tried that extra little bit harder to try and get to that, because I knew that was at stake.
“But it didn’t really put any more added pressure on me. I went out there, knew what I had to do and just tried to stay focused.
“I had a phase many years ago when I was getting to ranking finals and wasn’t converting them into wins.
“I had about seven or eight where I got to a final and just couldn’t convert them, whereas now it seems to be going the other way.
“That’s now 16 out of 17 [finals I’ve won] and 11 on the trot, so it’s a fantastic achievement.”
Selby, the current world No.4, knocked in eight halfcentury breaks and a fluent visit of 102 to leave O’Sullivan, 45, slumped in his chair at the Marshall Arena.
The victory marked the second consecutive year he had lifted the Stephen Hendry trophy and drew him level with world No.1 and 2 Judd Trump and Neil Robertson on 19 ranking event titles.
Selby joined forces with top coach Chris Henry earlier this year and is rapidly rediscovering some of his finest form on the Buckinghamshire baize.
But he’s still chasing his first Triple Crown – World Championship, UK Championship and Masters – title since being crowned king of the Crucible for a third time back in May 2017.
Selby won’t take his foot off the pedal and says getting his hands on snooker’s majors, coupled with usurping Trump as the world’s best player, are the next items on his ambitious agenda.
He added: “I’m always striving to get better.
“I’ve had two goals since I’ve been working with Chris – one is to get back to world No.1, which would be fantastic if I could achieve it.
“It’s going to be difficult because Judd is miles in front and flying at the moment, but there’s no reason why you can’t have a goal.
“The other one would be to try and win a few more Triple Crown events. I feel like I’m playing well enough. Every year I play that’s one of my goals, and if you win any other tournaments in between, it’s a bonus.”
The Scottish Open was live on Eurosport, Eurosport app, and stream on discovery+