Mark Selby brushes off last year’s Crucible nightmare as match he ‘couldn’t win’

Mark Selby has suffered back-to-back first round defeats at the Crucible (Picture: Getty Images)

Mark Selby suffered a big upset defeat in the first round of the 2025 World Snooker Championship, but it is no concern to him as he returns, seeing it as a match he couldn’t win.

Selby arrived in Sheffield last year as one of the favourites after winning the British Open and Welsh Open in a good 2024/25 season.

The four-time champion was heavy favourite for his opening contest against fellow Leicester cueist Ben Woollaston, but a big surprise was sprung.

Selby start...