World Snooker Championship 2024: Selby loses to debutant O'Connor – BBC
Mark Selby won the World Snooker Championship in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021
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."
Joe O'Connor is ranked 30th in the world
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For O'Connor, the only debutant in the 2024 event, it was a dream victory against a player whom he had watched win three of his world title victories at the Crucible.
The pair shared the first four frames on Sunday, but O'Connor took the last five and that advantage gave Selby too much to do.
O'Connor, speaking to BBC Two, said: "It was a dream draw for me to play Mark at the pinnacle of our sport, and it's amazing to win.
"Obviously I don't want Mark to retire. He has inspired me to be where I am today."
Elsewhere, former world champion Shaun Murphy moved into the last 16 with an impressive performance to beat China's Lyu Haotian 10-5.
Murphy, the 2005 winner, was 6-3 ahead after Sunday's first session and won four of the next seven frames to set up a tie with Scotland's Stephen Maguire.
Shaun Murphy won the world title in 2005
Murphy said he was "absolutely delighted" to win his first-round match after going out at this phase in the past two seasons.
He added: "I'm really bothered. I've not won here since the 2021 semi-final and it's tough to keep coming back and losing. It's like a love affair that keeps hurting you so to get that win after three years, I'm absolutely over the moon."
On playing Maguire in the last 16, the world number eight added: "We've been putting on good shows since we were 10 years old. He was Scottish number one, I was English number one and we've been knocking hell out of each other for a long time.
"I can't wait to get my teeth stuck into it. It will be a really good match and for the neutral, it will be special."
Another former Crucible champion, Stuart Bingham, advanced as he beat 10th seed Gary Wilson – the fifth seeded player to be knocked out after top seed Luca Brecel, fifth seed Selby, ninth seed Ali Carter and 11th seed Zhang Anda all lost in the first round.
Bingham lifted the trophy in 2015 but has dropped to 29th in the world rankings after a tough couple of seasons and had to battle through two qualifying rounds to get to the Crucible.
But he dominated against Wilson, who won the Scottish Open and Welsh Open in 2023-24. Bingham made breaks of 98, 53, 117, 76, 63, 66 and 55 to win against an out-of-form opponent.
"Gary missed a few and I punished him at every chance so I'm over the moon to beat a seed and still be in the tournament," said Bingham.
"It hasn't been a great two years and I need another win just to keep my top-32 place for the season. I've had a couple of poor seasons, I can't hide from that."
Wilson, meanwhile, was left disconsolate and said he was not enjoying the game.
He said: "I just felt awful, flat and I really didn't want to be there. There are no positives. I didn't even feel good at the best tournament in the world."
Three-time champion Mark Williams began his campaign on Monday afternoon and leads 5-4 against last year's semi-finalist Si Jiahui of China.
A Williams win would set up an all-Welsh tie in the last 16 against Jak Jones, who defeated Chinese 11th seed Zhang Anda on Sunday.
Williams made a superb 142 break in the opening frame, but Si held a 4-3 lead, only for Williams to take the last two frames of the session, with that match finishing on Tuesday afternoon.
World number 16 Robert Milkins has work to do on Tuesday as he trails 4-5 to China's Pang Junxu.
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