SELBY IS BACK
You may have heard a lot about Lionel Messi last week. But back in Brentwood, many miles away from Qatar, Mark Selby captured his first snooker title for 21 months.
It's great to see Selby winning again, considering what's happened during the last year since he admitted to be struggling with mental health. After the match Selby and his wife Vikki were both understandably emotional, and all I can say is that it was a very inspirational victory.
Selby had been showing signs of returning to form this season, and I was sure that if he kept that up he'd be winning again soon. He went deep in a few tournaments, coming up against very strong opposition - he lost two quarterfinals to Neil Robertson, one to Mark Allen, and also lost a semifinal to Judd Trump this season.
It's hard, but with so many tournaments you're bound to win one when you're playing well. Last week, Selby broke through that barrier with comeback wins against Murphy in the Last 16 and Robertson in the semis, before beating Luca Brecel in Sunday's Final. Now, as we head into the second half of the season, could this title be just what Selby needed to resume his tour domination?
Selby will play the Masters in a few weeks, followed by the World Grand Prix. But this English Open win will also likely secure him a place in the other ITV events this season, before he gives another go at the World Championship which he won for a fourth time last year.
Now, I know that it's probably too much to be speculating how well he'll do at all those events "just" because he won the English Open. A few other players are also having a great season and there's plenty to be played yet, but the excitement about having Selby in the winner's circle again is easily justifiable.
Selby is the best player to have turned pro in the last 30 years (let that sink in!), and is one of very few players who can DOMINATE the tour by his own when on form. What about finishing seven consecutive seasons as World Number One, winning four World Titles in eight years, and having arguably the best season any player has had in nearly twenty years in 2016/17 - when he won five ranking titles including the UK Championship and a third (second consecutive) World Title.
Now at 39 years of age, his mental health issues did indeed bring his game down and many doubt that he could get his old snooker form back. But I'm sure that as long as everything is OK off the table, which is the most important, this win could be the start - or resumption - of something special.
I just want to say a word for the Brentwood crowd as well. Essex is indeed a hotbed for Snooker, and we need to have events being held there more often. The tour wanders a lot around England, and sometimes the crowds are not satisfactory. But attendance was great last week, and the atmosphere looked fantastic. I hope the tour gets back there soon!
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