Rocketing back: Ronnie O’Sullivan survives first-round scare as Mark Selby makes shock exit at Worlds
Defending champion from Leicester is crushed by English veteran Joe Perry while the “Rocket” rallies to beat Scotsman Maguire at the Crucible Theatre
Mark Selby had entered the world championship as defending champion, world No 1 and aiming for a third straight world title. But instead the 33-year-old Englishman earned the dubious distinction of becoming only the seventh defending champion to be knocked out in the first round at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.
Five-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan, of England, looked precariously close to joining the casualty list but recovered brilliantly to beat Scotland’s Stephen Maguire 10-7 on Sunday night.
Selby looked well placed going into his first round match against English veteran Joe Perry. Two weeks ago, the Jester from Leicester pocketed £225,000 (HK$2.47 million) – the second highest prize in snooker – for retaining his China Open crown in Beijing. His confidence soared and his form seemed to be peaking at the right time.
But Perry, the oldest player in the tournament at 42, threw the form book out the window with a sensational 10-4 victory against the man who won three of the last four world titles.