Mark Selby has been in fine form this season and is being tipped for more Crucible glory - but he faces a tough task against one of snooker's top young talents.
Mark Selby has hailed Si Jiahui ahead of the World Snooker Championship
Mark Selby, the four-time world snooker champion, has thrown his weight behind Si Jiahui's potential to outplay any leading player in the sport. Selby, having clashed with the 22-year-old Chinese sensation at the Tour Championship in Manchester, and witnessing Si soar to the semi-finals at the Crucible in 2023, recognises him as a formidable opponent for any top-tier competitor. Singing praises for Si while speaking to ITV before their face-off, Selby asserted: "He's very, very talented and we've seen that a few years ago in the World Championship and he's backed that up with what he's done this season."
Selby, hailed by Scottish snooker icon Stephen Hendry as a favourite for this year's Crucible triumph, warned: "He's very dangerous, if you let him get on a roll he can steamroller not only me, but everyone he plays. Eight days ago we played and I won that game, but that counts for nothing."
Ken Doherty, who snagged the World Champion title in 1997, agrees that Si has more to master but applauds his inherent knack for daring gameplay. Doherty said: "With the modern game and these younger players coming through particularly, when they are at the table they like to stay at the table."
He added a note of strategy, suggesting, "He will take on risky pots and sometimes he will push the boat out because he wants to stay at the table and win the frame in one visit.", reports the Daily Record.
Sia Jiahui has been talked up as a World Snooker Championship contender
"He's a wonderful prodigious talent, he's great for the game and I love the way that he plays. But he's going to have to rein it in a little bit if he's going to be successful against the top players.
"He's great to watch, he's been very successful the way he plays the game. But as a snooker player you're picking up things all the time. You're learning when a shot that you missed has cost you a frame.
"He's building his game, but every other facet is perfectly in tune. He's a great potter, a wonderful break builder and he's very, very exciting to watch."
Selby, known as the 'Jester from Leicester', has made headlines for his exceptional season performance and expressed pride in his own achievements: "It has been a great season, it's been a long season
"There are so many tournaments week after week, but overall I'm happy with the way I've played this year. I've won two big events and I can't put my finger on many matches where I've struggled and underperformed.
"If I've lost matches it's because my opponent has played good. It's not like I played really poorly and deserved to lose. That's quite pleasing because I had a poor season last year from my own expectations, but this year I've turned it around."
Selby's form has not gone unnoticed, with Doherty tipping him as a strong contender for success in Sheffield: "Mark has been bubbling nicely under the radar all season. He seems in a really happy place as well and has a couple of titles under his belt.
Ken Doherty fancies Mark Selby's chances at the Crucible
"His B game and C game has always been a very high standard, but he's almost getting to that A game. The scoring his come back, he's knocking in the centuries and winning frames in one visit.
"When he was struggling he couldn't win frames in one visit. He'd get to 50 or 60 and break down. Now that scoring prowess has come back into his game and that gives you great confidence.
"He's renowned for being a great safety player and a great match player. But when he does his damage is when he's scoring and knocking in the centuries.
"The conditions are absolutely perfect, more conducive to big breaks and that will suit Mark Selby. He's the old dog for the long road, he loves the longer sessions and that's why he's been so successful at the Crucible over the years."
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