mark selby has shrugged off Ronnie O’Sullivan’s “Midnight Selby” tag and says he sees it as a compliment. The nickname, built around Selby’s reputation for long matches and late finishes, has become another sign of the respect between two of snooker’s biggest names. Selby also says he is drawing inspiration from O’Sullivan as he considers how long he can keep competing at the top level.
Mark Selby takes Ronnie O’Sullivan’s nickname as respect
Selby says that when people are talking about him, it usually means he is still central to the conversation in the sport. That is why he does not mind O’Sullivan’s quip, even though the two are not close.
O’Sullivan coined “Midnight Selby” after joking that rivals never wanted to be drawn after the four-time world champion. He said Selby’s games “go past midnight every night” and warned that following him could take an opponent “into the next day. ” Selby responded that he has no offence taken and that the nickname reflects the battles they have shared over the years.
“When people are talking about you, I always think that you’re doing something right, ” Selby said in comments to the World Championship’s betting partner, Midnite. “If it wasn’t mentioned, anything, then you’re sort of not even in the conversations, shall I say. We’ve had some great battles over the years. I respect him, he respects me. ”
mark selby on longevity, hunger and the next step
mark selby is also weighing his own future with a clear sense of purpose. He says he would like one more world title to reach five, but he is equally focused on the larger question of how long he can sustain the work required at the highest level.
Selby said O’Sullivan, who is 50, shows that top-level snooker can still be played well beyond the usual peak years if a player stays fit, healthy and hungry. He also pointed to John Higgins and Mark Williams as further proof that age does not automatically end a contender’s chances.
“The biggest thing for me is enjoying it and, provided the competitive instinct is still there, I’ll carry on, ” Selby said. “Even if I slipped out of the top 16, I’d still carry on playing, provided I still enjoyed putting the work in. ”
Selby added that he cannot rely on talent alone and must keep putting in the work. He said he wants to leave everything on the table in each match and walk away knowing he did not lose through lack of effort.
Crucible pressure and the road ahead
The timing matters. Selby begins his Crucible challenge on Wednesday against Welshman Jak Jones, while O’Sullivan opens on Tuesday against Chinese qualifier He Guoqiang. Selby’s recent record at the Crucible has been poor, with first-round exits in the last two years, but he says this season still gives him confidence.
He won the UK Championship in December and says the standard across the field is so high that every match demands full focus. Selby also says he recently took time away from the game because he had not been feeling his best mentally, and that the break helped him feel stronger again.
Speaking openly about those difficulties, he said, has helped him personally and may also help others facing similar problems. That is the wider backdrop to mark selby’s current run: a seasoned champion trying to keep competing hard, stay balanced and keep his future open for as long as his hunger lasts.
