Mark Selby, four-time world snooker champion, beaten 10-6 by debutant Joe O’Connor at the Crucible Theatre; Selby’s rival O’Connor is the only debutant at this year’s event after making it through qualifying.
Last updated: 04/22/24 6:08 p.m.
Mark Selby was knocked out of this year’s World Snooker Championship by Joe O’Connor (right)
Four-time world snooker champion Mark Selby suffered a shock first-round defeat to debutant Joe O’Connor at the Crucible Theater on Monday.
Selby, who questioned his future in the sport after losing to Gary Wilson at the Tour Championship earlier this monthlost 10-6 to fellow Leicestershire star O’Connor after trailing 7-2 after Sunday morning’s session.
The 28-year-old will face No. 12 seed Kyren Wilson or Dominic Dale in the second round.
Shaun Murphy began his quest for a second world title in style as he cruised his way into the second round with a 10-5 victory over Lyu Haotian.
Murphy started the session with a 6-3 lead and looked to continue where he left off when he punished China’s Haotian from 38 points behind to pinch the opening period and extend his advantage to four.
Murphy got the next one to make it five straight frames, but Haotian won two of the next three to extend the tie slightly.
A relaxed Murphy didn’t break a sweat and – with the 2005 world champion only needing a solitary frame for victory – he finished things off in style with a break of 81 to advance to the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2021.
Murphy defends Crucible after ‘smelly’ comments
Shaun Murphy has accused rival Hossein Vafaei of “sacrilege” after the Iranian launched a scathing attack on conditions at the Crucible Theatre.
Murphy described criticism of snooker’s legendary Crucible as sacrilege after Iranian Hossein Vafaei called it “smelly”..
The start of this year’s tournament was overshadowed by verbal shots at the iconic venue that has hosted the tournament since 1977.
Responding to Vafaei’s comments, 2005 champion Murphy said: “This is hallowed ground. It’s almost sacrilege for a professional snooker player to criticize our house so openly.
“Hossein should find out about how our tour works in relation to the WST and our broadcast partners, and what a special place it is.
“Does he think he’s helping our sport grow by being so openly critical of one of our biggest partners? He hasn’t helped the sport at all.”
Stuart Bingham took an impressive three-frame lead to give him a good advantage at the end of the first session, leading Gary Wilson 6-3.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan says if the World Snooker Championship were moved to Saudi Arabia, he would find the tournament more convenient as a player
The WST recently signed a deal to step up promotion of the game in Saudi Arabia, and next year’s second World Masters of Snooker event will offer a $1 million (£810,000) jackpot to any player able to pocket a special golden ball after a maximum break. .
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