Selby ready for Rocket test

Selby: Two titles last year

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Mark Selby insists he will not be intimidated if he has to face his nemesis Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Maplin UK Championship.

The 'Jester from Leicester' was just one frame away from a place in the final last year when O'Sullivan rattled in a stunning 147 maximum break to wrap up the match.

And just last week, Selby was again on the losing end against 'The Rocket', going down 7-2 in the Premier League final.

Selby, who won the Saga Insurance Masters and Welsh Open last season, remembers O'Sullivan's brilliant total clearance in Telford all too well.

"I did everything right really," he recalls. "I had a chance to go 8-5 in front and then I went 8-7 behind. But I managed to level at 8-8 - and the rest is history really.

"No disrespect to any other player, but I think he was the only player who could have done that against me in that situation - and he did it as if it was nothing really.

"Ronnie's always a pleasure to watch when he's flowing.

"He's probably the only player who, when you're sitting in your chair, you can't really get downbeat about - because he's so good to watch. But at the same time, you'd sooner it be you and come through the match yourself."

Punish

As for the prospect of facing O'Sullivan again, he insists: "It's not dented my confidence, because I know all I did was miss a couple of balls - that's all it takes against someone of Ronnie's standard. He just seems to punish you and run away with it.

"Obviously it was a little bit disappointing having got to the final and then not really performed - but as it was my debut season in the Premier League, I was also very happy with what I had achieved.

"My 5-0 win over Stephen Hendry [in the semi-final] was probably some of the best snooker I have played on TV for a while. I've had patches in every tournament I've played, but consistency-wise - especially against someone of Hendry's class - it was good."

Selby is on course to meet O'Sullivan in the semi-final again this time around but first he must get past two-time world champion Mark Williams, in what looks a tricky opener.

"I've got a tough game in the first round," he confirmed. "But my form's good at the moment, and I'm looking forward to it.

"There's not many easy games nowadays, because there are so many good players around - but with Mark having the experience of being there and done it, it will be a hard game.

"I've played him twice before and never beaten him. He beat me in the world championship about three years ago and also in the UK about the second year when I was a professional - so I hope I will beat him for the first time this weekend."