Mark Selby has fallen at the first hurdle (Picture: Getty Images)
Mark Selby has suffered a stunning upset loss in the opening round of the World Snooker Championship, beaten 10-6 by debutant Joe O’Connor at the Crucible.
The four-time world champion is always among the favourites to get his hands on the trophy in Sheffield and this year was no different, despite an indifferent season and a lack of confidence heading into the World Championship.
Those struggles for form that Selby has shown over the campaign were on show in the resounding defeat to his fellow Leicester man, with only brief flashes of his brilliant best.
O’Connor, though, was superb and appeared nerveless on his first trip to the Crucible as he developed a big lead in the first session.
After the first four frames were shared, the 28-year-old went on a brilliant run of scoring, knocking in breaks of 122, 67, 101, 74 and 61 to finish the session 7-2 ahead.
Selby started the second session strongly on Monday, with a break of 112 in the opener and went into the mid-session interval only 8-5 behind.
The underdog was not to be rattled, though, and went one away from victory with a half-century in the 14th frame.
Joe O’Connor has sprung a huge surprise in Sheffield (Picture: Getty Images)
Selby took the next but O’Connor continued to show nerves of steel, taking on the big shots and getting over the line for a 10-6 victory and the biggest win of his career.
‘I tried today and that’s all I can do, but just not good enough,’ Selby told the BBC. ‘I just made it too easy for him in the first session.’
The winner said: ‘I’m pretty lost for words, it’s a dream draw for me to play Mark at the pinnacle of our sport, it’s amazing to win.’
O’Connor was a huge underdog to beat his long-time friend and occasional practice partner, but the brilliant win sees him make the last 16 on debut, where he will take on either Kyren Wilson or Dominic Dale.
Selby suggested that retirement could be on his agenda after an early exit at the Tour Championship earlier this month, and he says it is still a decision that he needs to make.
‘I don’t know, I’ll definitely still review in the summer. Because that first session I felt like I stopped myself from playing when I had my chances,’ Selby told the BBC.
Selby struggled badly in the first session of the match (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I can’t keep doing that, it’s no good for me. It makes me ill and gets me down mentally. I tried to just get on with it and play ,but it’s easier to do that when you’re 7-2 behind because you just let your arm go.
‘I’ll sit down with [wife] Vikki and see what the options are, I know it will be a big decision, but if I do carry on playing then I do need help on the mental side a little bit more. Just to go out there and enjoy the game, that’s all I want to do.
‘For me it’s always life or death, I’ve always been that sort of character, putting too much pressure on myself and trying too hard. With what I’ve achieved I should be able to just go out there and play but I stop myself doing it every time.’
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