Ive always liked Selby but have always found it irritating how so many people (fans, pundits, and even some players) categorise him as some anti snooker, borefest.
Give me a tense safety battle over a 147 any day. Gary Wilson and Zhou Yuelong final frame in the Scottish open for instance, is what seperates snooker with other cue sports. Don't get me wrong a 147 is ridiculous, hard to fathom, but in reality they are quite uncommon. Maybe because my highest break is circa 30 that I get so much excitement over safety battles. For me Selbys safety play at his pomp was the best I've ever seen. Excruciating for his opponents but amazing for me.
Ronnie was so vocal about how he dreaded playing Selby when really Mark knew exactly how to play against Ronnie and how to frustrate him. If Ronnie is frustrated, you might beat him. If he's content then no one can.
Ronnie's the goat and only has to be at 80% to be unplayable but he's not a pleasant individual. The way he speaks to some refs, his self professed lack of interest in the sport, when he loses that is, and which is absolute bollocks as he is a fanatic, plays it everyday, since he was too small to even reach the table, and wouldn't be where he is without it. Everyone knows he's the goat, everyone says it to him. Why does he have to pretend that he isn't that interested in the game? You dont get to that level of any game or sport without absolute dedication, before talent.
Selby on the other hand is viewed as boring and generally unlikeable due to his style but he is an absolute gentlemen in real life, based on people I know that have met him. Listen to most players talk of him behind the scenes and he's very different to the hard nosed person you see on the table. Just look at how Ronnie walks straight past fans outside the crucible yet Mark has time for all of them.
