It’s child’s play for a champion
MARK SELBY admits the biggest pressure to clinch a famous world title treble comes from his daughter.
The world No.1 and defending champion begins his campaign for a fourth Betfred World Championship crown today against Joe Perry.
Selby can become only the third player in the modern era, behind Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, to win at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre three years running.
And the 34-year-old from Leicester does not want to go home empty-handed to three-year-old Sofia.
Selby, who won the China Open in Beijing earlier this month, said: “When I came back from China last week I walked through the door and Sofia asked, ‘Daddy, have you got me a trophy?’
Pressure
“So the next day I put it into the snooker trophy room at home and she came down to have a look at it, asking where her trophy was.
“Earlier in the season I came back from an event where I didn’t do well and she just stands there saying, ‘Daddy, you didn’t win!’
“So that’s real pressure and what I need to bear in mind for this World Championship.
“She is growing up and it is harder going away because she understands that I won’t be around.
“But your family is what you are doing it for and why you play and practice.”
Selby has not lost a match of two sessions or more for 10 months and the Crucible format suits him down to the ground.
He added: “You can sense sometimes that opponents are a bit worried about me in a long match.
“They know I will never give in and it will be tough to beat me.”