Mark Selby Eager to Tick Tour Championship Off His List After Crushing Neil Robertson

Four-time world champion Mark Selby produced a dominant display to crush Neil Robertson 10-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Tour Championship, continuing his impressive resurgence this season.

Selby, known as "The Jester from Leicester," was in ruthless form, winning eight frames with 50+ breaks, including three centuries. Robertson, who sits third on the World Snooker Tour’s one-year list, struggled to get a foothold in the match as Selby steamrolled his way into the semifinals.

The damage was largely done in the first session, with Selby racing into a commanding 7-1 lead. He then wrapped up the match in clinical fashion, winning the remaining three frames with ease to set up a semifinal clash with China’s Ding Junhui.

Reflecting on his dominant victory, Selby admitted the scoreline flattered him slightly and suggested that things could have been much closer had the balls fallen differently.

"There's no coincidence that I finished off how I did because if that would've been four-all going into that, I don't think you start the second session like I did."

"I felt like I played okay yesterday, 7-1 flattered me a little bit. I think there was a few more close frames which could have gone either way. If they did, who knows I could be sitting here doing the loser speech."

Selby also highlighted the mental challenge of holding such a commanding lead overnight, explaining that it can be difficult to stay focused when people assume the match is already won.

"It's tough 'cause people just assume that you’ve won at 7-1."

"Don't get me wrong on paper you should win, but you've got no divine right to win any match, you know? If I've beat Neil [Robertson] 7-1 in one session, there's no reason why he can't do the same to me the next session."

"At the end of the day it's first to 10, not first to seven. So, I knew the match wasn't over, far from it. So, I just tried to go out there and play as if it was the same day."

The ‘ITV Curse’

For all of Selby’s incredible achievements—four world titles, three Masters crowns, and two UK Championships—one thing had always eluded him: an ITV ranking event victory. Before this season, Selby had never won a tournament aired by ITV, leading some, including seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry, to jokingly suggest there was an 'ITV curse' on him.

But that all changed when Selby triumphed at the British Open in Cheltenham, finally ending the hoodoo. Now, with the World Grand Prix, Players Championship, and Tour Championship among the few events still missing from his trophy cabinet, he is eager to add another ITV tournament to his résumé.

"They’re tough to win, it’s the players in the top 32 [World Grand Prix] on the one-year list, then top 16 [Players Championship], now top 12 for the Tour Championship, so you’re having a good season if you’re here," he told SportsBoom.com. 

"There’s no reason why I’ve not won one, I’ve won one ITV event in the British Open, which sort of got the monkey off my back from all the pundits saying I’ve still not won one yet. It’d be nice to tick one of these off the box as well."

No Curse at The Crucible

Another so-called ‘curse’ looms over the Tour Championship winner—no player has ever lifted the trophy and then gone on to win the World Championship in the same season. However, Selby isn’t paying much attention to that statistic.

"Not really. I mean I've had seasons where I've had a poor season going into The Crucible and then I've gone there and done well. I've had other seasons where I've gone there absolutely flying, feeling full of confidence and then lost the last 16."

"I don't think it's one of them tournaments where you can't get there and try and prepare different to any other tournament. It's the ultimate test and you just go there and try your best and if it's good enough, great."

A Quiet Confidence

It’s been a dramatic turnaround for Selby. Just last year, after a shock early exit to Joe O’Connor at the World Championship, he hinted at retirement, describing his performance as "pathetic." Fast forward 12 months, and he is back among the favourites to claim a fifth world title, sitting just behind Judd Trump and reigning champion Kyren Wilson in the bookmakers' odds.

Selby acknowledges how far he has come in a short space of time and is relishing his return to form ahead of The Crucible.

"I was probably least favourite last year, <laugh> going into it. But this year I'll go there quietly confident. I'm playing some decent stuff."

"I'm probably one of seven or eight players playing some decent stuff. We'll just wait and see, you know, I'm looking forward to it."

If his demolition of Robertson is anything to go by, the rest of the field has every reason to be worried. Selby has already shattered one so-called ‘curse’ this season—could a fifth world title be next?