World Snooker Championship 2024: Selby loses to debutant O’Connor

Four-time world champion Mark Selby said he will consider his future in snooker after he lost 10-6 in the first round against Crucible debutant Joe O’Connor.

O’Connor, 30th in the world, held a commanding 7-2 lead after Sunday’s first session, only for Selby to make breaks of 112 and 91 to claim three of the opening four frames on Monday.

A break of 57 in the 14th frame took O’Connor one frame away and he clinched the victory two frames later.

Earlier this month, 40-year-old Selby hinted at retiring and said it is “maybe time to do something else” after losing 10-8 to Gary Wilson in the first round of the Tour Championship.

Selby lost in last year’s world final but this was the first time he had been eliminated in the first round since 2018.

He told BBC Two: “I will definitely still review it [my future] because I stopped myself from playing well when I had my chances and I can’t keep doing that because it makes me ill and gets me down mentally.

“I will sit down with [wife] Vikki and see what the options are. It will be a big decision but if I carry on playing I need help, probably on the mental side of it, to enjoy the game a bit more.”

In the media conference, Selby, the 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021 winner, added: “I don’t want to go through the motions and feel like playing is a chore. I will take a long time to think about it over the summer. Away from snooker I’m happy, then when I come to snooker it’s the opposite.”

On his performance, Selby said: “It was pathetic from start to finish. The damage was done from 2-2 to 7-2. I made it easier for Joe and gave myself too much to do.”