Mark Selby says he is not going to chase information set by the sport’s “all-time greats” after beating Shaun Murphy to win a fourth World Championship.
Selby is now stage with John Higgins, and solely Stephen Hendry (seven), Ray Reardon, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Steve Davis (all six) have gained extra world titles within the trendy period.
However the 37-year-old says matching their achievements isn’t an goal.
“I do not set my targets at any quantity so far as world titles go,” Selby stated.
“I simply come to the event yearly to provide my all. If that’s ok, nice. If not I’ll return residence and work even more durable.
“I’m not going to take a look at information like Hendry or Ronnie and suppose ‘he’s at six, that is my goal’ as a result of you’ll be able to’t predict profitable any single event, by no means thoughts the World Championship.”
The ultimate additionally marked a major second in sport’s return to normality, as a capability crowd attended a UK sporting occasion for the primary time in additional than a 12 months.
The Cheltenham Competition in March 2020 was the final time that occurred, simply earlier than the coronavirus pandemic took maintain and the nation was locked down.
As a part of a authorities pilot scheme, 980 followers stuffed the seats on the Crucible Theatre on Monday, carrying facemasks, adhering to strict tips and having taken a Covid-19 check earlier than arrival.
Selby strikes as much as second on this planet behind Judd Trump after securing his twentieth main rating title in Sheffield.
And his tally of 9 Triple Crown occasions – the Masters, and UK and World Championships – locations him stage with Scotland’s Higgins and behind solely Davis, Hendry and O’Sullivan.
“I put these gamers on the high of the ladder as all-time greats. I’d not put myself in that class or class myself as an all-time nice,” added Selby, who additionally gained the world title in 2014, 2016 and 2017.
“Different folks might discuss it however isn’t one thing I can get my head spherical.”
‘One of the best all-rounder we’ve got ever seen’
Whereas Selby took a self-deprecating tone, his overwhelmed opponent Murphy has no doubts over his long-time buddy’s standing within the sport.
“This places him proper up there,” Murphy stated. “He must be within the dialog [around the best ever] primarily based on the variety of World Championships we’ve got seen.
“I’ve obtained him down as the very best all-rounder we’ve got ever seen. He’s granite in all areas.”
Talking on BBC Two, Davis stated: “Selby has time on his facet and might be the one to problem Hendry’s file. I do not suppose he’ll stick on 4 titles as a result of he is too good. His all-round sport is nearly as good as John Higgins’.”
Fellow pundit and outright Crucible record-holder Hendry added: “Ronnie remains to be enjoying to the best normal at 45 and there is nothing to say that Mark Selby cannot do the identical. He is a match lad and another person I’ll should sweat about.”
