Mark Selby, who says he loves every match with the Rocket, is eager to face Ronnie O’Sullivan in the Players Championship quarterfinals.
In his debut match in Telford, Selby overcame a poor start to defeat Barry Hawkins 6-3. He looked very strong, winning five of the last six frames with breaks of 73, 67, 66, and 56.
The two longtime rivals will square off in a thrilling quarterfinal on Thursday night. O’Sullivan advanced to the last eight with a commanding 6-2 victory over Zhou Yuelong on Tuesday. The two have not faced each other frequently—just once this season, in the Shanghai Masters—and that matchup marks their only meeting in a competition since 2021.
Selby has not had his best season so far, but he understands that if he can hold up the form he exhibited as he downed Hawkins, he will be a problem for everyone
The following game is easier, isn’t it? Ronnie is with me! On ITV, Selby made jokes. Not at all; I enjoy every game I play against Ronnie, so I’m excited about that.
“I have a chance if I play with the authority and confidence I showed after the break.”
Although Selby hasn’t yet taken home any hardware despite winning four events this season, O’Sullivan claims that the Rocket’s superiority actually makes match preparation simpler.
“You always know what to expect from Ronnie; he rarely performs below par,” the 40-year-old stated. “He is either very good or unplayable, which makes it much easier for you to prepare for the game because you know that you have to show up or you’re going home.”
In response to the implication that O’Sullivan dislikes playing Selby, the Jester brought up a previous moniker the Rocket had given him at one point in his career.
“The One Who Tortures!” stated Selby. Yes, we have participated in major finals. I’m definitely looking forward to it since I’ve beaten him in some of them and he’s given me a nice hiding in many of them.
The two have faced off in the biggest games in sports, competing in the championship rounds of all three Triple Crown tournaments. Selby has defeated O’Sullivan in each of the three meetings, while the Rocket has only defeated the Jester in the Masters final.
Selby said that it takes a strong belief in one’s own talents to deal with the aura that the world number one exudes in a recent speech.
