Mark Selby has admitted that he nearly retired from snooker last summer after beating Stephen Maguire to win the Welsh Open on Sunday.
The 41-year-old won 9-6 to claim the Ray Reardon Trophy for the first time in 17 years, having previously done so in 2008.
Selby was in outstanding form throughout the competition and has now banked £100,000 in prize money following his victory.
But the snooker star's life could have turned out differently, with the Briton admitting that he nearly retired from the sport last summer.
Mark Selby has admitted that he nearly retired from snooker last summer after beating Stephen Maguire to win the Welsh Open on Sunday
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Selby, who has suffered with depression throughout his career, considered hanging up his cue after losing to Joe O'Connor in the first round at Sheffield in 2024.
However, talking with friends and wife Vikki ultimately led to him deciding to play on.
He admitted: “If you’d asked me after that game at the Crucible would I carry on, I’d have probably said no.
“If you had put me on the spot, there and then, I’d have probably never played again.
“I spoke to friends and family and said, ‘I’m not really enjoying it... I cannot keep putting myself through it’ because it was making me even more ill.
“They were saying, ‘Why don’t you have a bit of time out? Don’t go anywhere near the table.’
“I spoke to my doctor and he said to me, ‘Whenever you feel like that, just pick and choose. I know you want to play in everything but you need to start putting yourself first.’
“That’s what I thought I would do and after the summer, I seemed to be in a better place.
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“That’s not to say that from now until the end of the season, I might play in everything — that could easily turn.
“But if I’m in that position again like I was a couple of weeks before the last Worlds, I definitely won’t compete. It’s not healthy.”
Eight months after Selby considered quitting, he's won two ranking titles.
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Mark Selby was too strong for Stephen Maguire in Sunday night's Welsh Open final
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And the 41-year-old admits that his confidence is growing as he prepares for the 2025 World Snooker Championship in April.
“Confidence-wise, this win is great," he added.
"But confidence is only good if you’re in a good place.
Mark Selby has admitted his confidence is rising after he beat Stephen Maguire to win the Welsh Open
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“If you aren’t in a great place mentally then that confidence is irrelevant because you won’t perform to a good level.
“At the moment, if I can maintain where I am, then of course I’ll go to the Crucible very confident.
“I’m enjoying the challenge out there — hence why I’m probably playing a bit better.”
