World Snooker: Mark Selby beats Matthew Selt in Crucible first round
World No 1 Mark Selby moved into the second round of the World Championship with a 10-4 win over debutant Matthew Selt.
Last Updated: 25/04/13 7:28am
A host of big names have already been sent packing early in Sheffield, but Selby had no such problems in disposing of Selt, as he knocked in breaks of 71, 51, 55 and 91 to set up a second round tussle with Barry Hawkins.
Selby is bidding to become just the fourth player to win snooker's 'triple crown' of UK Championship, Masters and World Championship in the same season. Having landed the first two, he is aiming to secure the world title for the first time.
"A lot of the pressure I put on myself," said Selby. "Winning the World Championship is a big ask. It is in the back of my mind but not to the point where I'm letting it affect me.
"I've won tournaments with my B game in the past but I don't think that's possible at the World Championship. It's such a long tournament and you need to have sessions where you go up another gear."
Tense moment
Hong Kong's Marco Fu held off a late Matthew Stevens fightback to also move into the second round, with the losing semi-finalist in 2006 losing a 9-4 lead against the two-time runner-up, but survived a big scare to win 10-7.
Stevens missed the blue at the end of the 17th frame and Fu cleared well to clinch a showdown with Judd Trump, starting on Friday afternoon.
''Marco just picked up the pieces really when I missed,'' Stevens said. ''You can't expect to come here and play badly and win. I'm disappointed in the way I played.''
There was an interruption to the final frame when a spectator was taken ill, and the players had to leave the arena at a tense moment in the match, but Stevens accepted the break, saying: ''Someone's health is more important than a snooker match.''
Fu said of the prospect of taking on Trump: ''It's going to be a good match. I hope I can enjoy it as well.
''I don't think it matters what stage of the tournament I play him. It's too early to say whether I can win this tournament or not. If I can play well and win against Judd, obviously I've got a chance.''
On the other table, Robertson edged ahead of Trump in the high-break stakes by firing a 143 while taking a 5-4 lead against Gloucester's Robert Milkins.
The Australian world number two stands to receive £10,000 and the sponsors' Golden Cue award unless it is bettered later in the tournament. Robertson led 5-2 at one stage but Milkins finished on a high.