Selby Mark, English professional snooker player: biography, personal life, tournament wins

Snooker has long attracted many players and viewers. In many countries, in addition to Great Britain, millions of people today are addicted to this game.

Snooker is a popular version of the game of billiards

Interesting rules of the game, the absence of any age limits, the philosophy of the game - all this makes snooker more popular.

Tournaments are held regularly. Among them, more and less significant. More significant are the so-called rating tournaments. Less important - non-rating. But it does not become less interesting from the status of a meeting.

In place of the well-known snooker players come new, younger players, as, for example, occurred in tournaments in 2016.

The ascent of a new star

So, in the non-tournament tournament Gdynia Open has already won many loved snookerist from Leicester Selby Mark. At the ranking tournaments Paul Hunter Classic and International Championship of the same year, Mark also won. In addition, Selby has won a number of ranking tournaments - China Open, UK Championship, Shanghai Masters, Welsh Open.

The triumph of his victories was the title of world champion in 2016, which for Szabli was the second.

Two-time world champion in snooker Mark Selby bewitches with his game many fans, and he, like all celebrities, has his fans. To watch the game of your pet, dedicated fans travel around the world buying tickets for snooker tournaments.

Biography of Mark Selby

Who is Mark Selby? The biography of this outstanding snooker player deserves a detailed examination. Mark from his early childhood began his uneasy path to a great snooker.

June 19, 1983 in the English city of Leicester , Marc Anthony Selby (Mark Selby) was born.

In his native city there were several sports clubs in which there were snooker tables. Mark Selby snooker fell in love even in his early childhood. Regularly he began training at 7-8 years old, attending one of the social clubs. However, Mark immediately began to show extraordinary abilities, which even provoked the anger of regular snooker halls. As Mark Selby later recalled, after a year of training, he was banned from appearing in the club, as many of his members did not want to lose to the child anymore. Officially, this prohibition was explained by the law on the use of alcohol. Later, he was still allowed to attend training, for several hours on weekends. But soon deprived of this, too, since he again began to outplay members of the club.

When in ten years Mark won his first tournament, the organizers of the club invited him to conduct an exhibition match. Not forgetting about the children's grievances, Selby refused ...

A significant event in the life and future career of Mark was a meeting with the brother of the famous professional snookerist Willie Thorn - with Malcolm Thorne. Seeing in a young man certain abilities, Thorn took over the financial costs of training and tournament nuances of life Selby.

Mark did not stand out much until almost 19 years, not counting the won championship of England among players under the age of fifteen. He reached the semifinals of the ranking tournament - China Open - in 2002. And at the age of 19 he even went to the final of the Scottish Open (Regal Scottish) tournament in 2003, but, unfortunately, he could not beat David Gray and lost with a score of 9: 7.

The success of Mark Selby

In the qualifications for the world championships in 2002, 2003, 2004 he also reached the finals, but could not win. Up to 2006, Mark Selby did not get into the top 32, which did not foreshadow the star career.

The first world championship, which Sebley was able to qualify for, is the 2005 tournament. But on it Mark conceded 5:10 to John Higgins. However, the 2006 World Cup was marked by the victory of Mark Selby from John Higgins with a score of 10: 4 in the first round. Although after this fortune again turned away from him, allowing to win the next round of Mark Williams with a score of 13: 9. Despite this, Mark for the first time so loudly declared himself as a player able to withstand the most famous snooker giants. Finally, Mark was in the top 32 2005/2006, finishing 28th in the ranking.

For a long time, Mark's big minus was the lack of a stable game. During the 2006/2007 season he took place in the decisive stages of many rating tournaments, earning points, but most importantly - strengthening his authority in the snooker world. 23-year-old Mark Selby got to the World Cup - 2007 and in a difficult final again lost to John Higgins. In the end, he took 11th place in the ranking, defeating such formidable players as Steven Lee, Peter Ebdon, Alistair Carter and Shawn Murphy. But the Terminator - John Higgins - could not get around.

Almost all well-known snooker players with time appear game nicknames. Someone comes up with them himself, some people start calling the fans. So, Higgins was nicknamed Terminator for his invincibility and fighting nature. Mark has the nickname "The Merry Man from Leicester", which Bir Richard gave him. They say that the roots of this nickname come from the second hobby of Mark - darts. Selby occasionally performs at competitions in this sport.

In its importance, after the World Cup is the championship of Great Britain. On it in the beginning of the season 2007/2008 Mark easily beat Harold and Hamilton. And again, Selby's lack of experience in the speeches at the highest level affected. Ronnie O'Sullivan was too difficult rival, and Mark lost with a score of 8: 9.

At the "Masters" in 2008 Selby finally managed to win. In February of the same year, Selby Mark won the Welsh Open and defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan 9: 8. As a result of the 2007/2008 season Mark was already in the 4th line of the rating.

The following season again brought unpleasant surprises, losses in the "Masters" and the Premier League, and again Ronnie O`Sullivanu. By the end of the year Selby was already on the 7th line of the rating.

Beginning of the ascent of the future leader of the top 32

Season 2009/2010 is marked by the appearance of the first in career Selby maximum break in 147 points in the tournament Jiangsu Classic. And in the final of the competition "Masters-2010" Mark could still beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 9: 8. Despite a number of victories, in the overall ranking for the year, Selby went down even further, on the 9th line.

Season 2010/2011 became for Mark the most productive and led him to the 3rd line of the world rating, replenished his personal baggage with 54 hundred series and a record in the number of Century for the season.

The victory at Shanghai Masters 2011 was Selby's second significant achievement for his career, and Mark took first place in the ranking. Soon known snookerist Judd Trump moved Mark from the first positions, but after Selby's victory at the UK Championship - 2012 he again regained the lead in the world ranking.

New world champion in snooker

Season-2014 brought Mark Selby the first title of world champion after a confident victory over Ronnie O'Sullivan. In addition, another victory in the first round of "Masters" was able to win Mark Selby. Ricky Walden was defeated 6-0, and Mark again met Ronnie O'Sullivan. This time, Selby conceded to him in the quarter finals of Welsh Open.

The 2016 became the year of the two-time champion Selby after winning from Dean Junhu. In addition to this impressive title, Mark entered the most elite club of multi-champions for snooker.

Mark Selby: personal life

In 2010, the engagement of Mark with Victoria Leighton took place, and in May 2011 they were married in Mexico. Since then, in tournaments in which Mark Selby participates, the wife is present in the hall and supports the spouse.

November 11, 2014 they were born daughter Sofia Maria. This event caused a certain decline in Mark's activity in the tournaments held this season. He admitted to journalists that he did not want to miss a single moment of his father's happiness.

To date, two-time world champion in snooker deservedly became Selby. Mark firmly took first place in the preliminary and official ratings. More than 430 hundred breaks were collected by him for the whole career in snooker matches.