Final push will be family affair for eager Selby
Mark Selby is desperate to end 2019 in style by winning today’s Scottish Open final.
The Englishman crushed compatriot David Gilbert 6-1 in yesterday’s one-sided semi-final at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.
Selby’s wife Vikki and daughter Sofia will fly up to Glasgow for today’s final.
“It would be fantastic to win the Scottish Open,” admitted Selby.
“I’ve got the Steve Davis trophy (English Open) at home and to add the Stephen Hendry trophy would be special because they’re two greats of the game.
“It would be amazing to win another title.
“The plan is for the family to come up and support me.
“They went to Aladdin this afternoon and Vicki told me she’d have to watch me on her phone, so that’s how much she supports me.
“I’ve got better as the tournament’s got on.”
But Selby knows he will have to remain fully focused when he locks horns with either defending champion Mark Allen or rising star Jack Lisowski for the £70,000 top prize today.
“I keep going in and out of focus a little bit,” revealed Selby.
“I’m focused until I think I’ve won the frame and then I slack off.
“You don’t want to be doing that, especially in a final, because you can get badly punished.”
Three-time world champion Selby hammered practice partner Gilbert 9-1 in the English Open final earlier this season.
And it was one-way traffic once again as the world No 6 sent the World Championship semi-finalist packing.
Selby sunk breaks of 76, 84, 132 and 69 to deservedly progress as Gilbert notched up runs of 64 and 66 in defeat.
“I thought I played quite well after the first two frames,” said the Jester from Leicester.
“The first two frames probably looked like watching two guys down the local social club.
“I thought the light was going to go off and we’d have to put another 10 pence in the meter, that’s how bad we were playing.
“I’d say with Dave that he wouldn’t be affected by bad results because he’s such a laidback character.
“But because he’s been knocking on the door and getting so close to reaching a final or winning a title, then sooner or later it’s going to start eating away at you.
“I don’t think today’s result was because of the way I beat him in the English Open final.”
Deflated Gilbert pocketed £20,000 for reaching the final four and he was delighted with his run in Scotland after struggling for confidence recently.
He said: “I’m not going to let this get in the way of a good week.
“I came here thinking I couldn’t even play the game and I’ve reached the semi-finals.”