Snooker
“I Was Ready to Hand Up My Cue”: Mark Selby Overcomes Confidence Crises to Claim British Open Title
Mark Selby overcomes a confidence crisis and 18-month title drought to claim the British Open with a 10-5 win over John Higgins, marking a triumphant return to form.
Image Credits: Tai Chengzhe/VCG via Getty Images
Mark Selby has revealed he was struggling with a confidence crisis before winning the British Open.
The four-time world champion reclaimed his spot among the game’s winners with a fine 10-5 victory over fellow all-time great John Higgins at Cheltenham’s Centaur on Sunday night.
Triumphant Return After 18-Month Drought
It ended an uncharacteristic 18-month barren spell without a title for the decorated champion.
But the world number four looked back to his brilliant best when it mattered most at the business end of the event.
The Jester from Leicester, who banked the £100,000 top prize, told SportsBoom.com: “Confidence is the present. If you’re not winning, then you are going to get a few knocks.”
Battling the Weight of Expectation
“If you look at John a few years ago he was saying he had no confidence. With everything he’s won in the game you can take a step back and wonder how he has no confidence with everything he’s achieved.”
“If you keep losing sooner or later your confidence is going to take a knock and that’s how I felt.”
“It can kickstart my season hopefully. If I can’t get confidence from this week I may as well hang my cue up.”
The 41-year-old has been candid about his mental health battles over the past few years.
Retirement Thoughts After Crucible Defeat
Selby has been frustrated with his performances and hit a low ebb with his game.
With a lot going on behind the scenes, he seriously contemplated retirement during the summer after a first-round defeat at the Crucible to fellow Leicester potter Joe O’Connor.
But after a pep talk with wife Vikki during the off season, Selby is determined to get more enjoyment out of the game which has transformed his life.
He admitted: “I just get down on myself too much.”
“If I’m not playing how I’m playing in practice then I’m like ‘oh, here we go, I’m gone again.”
“I put too much pressure on myself and get a bit tense and that stops you striking the ball how you want to.”
“In the semi-final and final I felt really relaxed. I took the pressure off myself in the final because I didn’t care if I won or lost I just wanted to go and play and I enjoyed it.”
I was aggressive, took my shots on and scored when the opportunities came
Mark Selby
A Relaxed Approach to Winning
“I’ve been playing well in practice for a while and there have been signs. But the game’s tough. You just have to be patient and wait your turn.”
“I feel like I’m playing a lot better. I’m hitting it really well. I hope I can become a regular winner again but it's harder than that.”
“It makes you realise when you’ve gone so long without winning how difficult it is.”
“It shows how incredible Judd’s been over the past few seasons. But even he went 19 months without a title which you think is incredible with how good’s he been.”
“Neil Robertson was playing his first final since 2022 when he won the English Open. It shows how tough the standard is at the moment.”
“If I never won again, even before this, I can retire happy with what I’ve achieved in my career. But whilst you’re still competing you want to try and win as much as you can.”
Shane is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade on the front line, covering everything from football to horse racing. A familiar face in the snooker pressroom, his work regularly appears in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, alongside SportsBoom.
While snooker is where many readers know him best, cricket is his true sporting passion, though he tends to keep that side of him separate from his professional beat.
A staunch traditionalist, he’s unlikely to share your enthusiasm if you believe The Hundred is the future of Test cricket.