Exclusive: Mark Selby Sees Missing $1 Million Saudi Event as Blessing Ahead of UK Championship Bid

Mark Selby believes missing this week’s big-money golden ball 167 event could be a blessing in disguise ahead of his bid for a UK Championship hat-trick later this month. 

The four-time world champion, 42, has been at the top end of the game for the best part of the past 15 years.

But whilst the game’s elite top 10 compete at the Riyadh Snooker Championship, where anyone who makes a never-before-seen golden ball 167 banks a massive $1million bonus, Selby is sitting at home watching it on TV.

The Jester from Leicester made it 13th time lucky in his quest for a maiden Champion of Champions crown as he hammered world No.1 Judd Trump 10-5 in front of his faithful hometown fans on Sunday night.

And when asked how he feels about missing the event in Saudi Arabia, Selby told SportsBoom.co.uk: “To be honest, mate, it’s a bit of mixed reviews.”

“I mean, obviously financially, yeah, obviously it’s disappointing not to be in it because it’s good money if you do well.” 

“But then at the same time, we’ve been travelling so much the last two to three months.”

“And with the UK coming up with such a big tournament, it probably...To be fair, having won this now as well, it’s probably not a bad thing, just having a bit of time, you know, just rest and practice a little bit and unwind and go to the UK fresh rather than fatigued.”

As ever, the autumn has been a busy period on the World Snooker Tour with the game’s biggest stars clocking up the air miles by playing in Cheltenham, Xi’an, Northern Ireland, Nanjing, Leicester and now Saudi Arabia in the past nine weeks. 

Selby is now playing some of the best snooker of his career, and though he considered retirement over a year ago, he revealed earlier this year that key changes in his approach have reignited his motivation and revitalised his game.

Unfair Criticism 

Selby, who believes the performance to beat Trump to the Champion of Champions gong is up there with his best, could be finding his form at just the right time with the UK Championship hot on the horizon.

Selby has not landed a Triple Crown major since the 2021 World Championship, a long wait by his own high standards.

Alan McManus has affectionately coined him a “master of the dark arts” of the game. It is by no means a derogatory slur by the man nicknamed ‘Angles’. 

But Selby has come under fire over the years for his perceived slow style of play.

Selby is undoubtedly an all-time great and will go down as a legend of the game. His break-building is up there with the very best as his three straight tons to beat Trump showed.

On the criticism he receives, Selby added: “Listen, I mean, I get a lot of criticism on social media there and everywhere, but I’m probably one of many people that do in any walk of life, you know. But I try not to take it to heart.” 

“I know people’s got their favourites, people’s got their opinions, and I respect that.”

“You know, I just carry on doing it. Listen, all I’m doing is just out there trying my hardest and trying to make it as difficult for my opponent as possible. And that’s all I try to do, you know.”

“I don’t set out to go out there to play 50-minute frames or one-hour frames. I don’t enjoy them just as much as you guys don’t enjoy them!”

“All I do is just make it hard for my opponent. If they beat me at least, I can feel like, you know, I’ve given it everything and I’ve made them win rather than just lay down and roll over.”