World Snooker Championship 2023: Mark Selby eyes more titles after overcoming negative thoughts

Mark Selby has also won two UK and three Masters titles

Mark Selby says he has overcome thoughts he might never "win another tournament" as he wants to add to his world title tally and get closer to Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Four-time winner Selby gets his World Championship campaign under way against Matthew Selt on Wednesday (14:30 BST).

"My game is in as good a shape as it can be," he told BBC Sport.

O'Sullivan and Hendry have won seven Crucible crowns - a record in the modern era.

"While I am still playing, enjoying it and have my health I'd like to think I still have another seven or eight years," added Selby, 39. "It would be nice to get one more and be out on my own with five, but if I don't win it again I'm not going to be devastated.

"To win it four times is incredible really. If I were to win one more I'd be happy, but I suppose if I am here next year and I have won it, I'd say 'I'd like to get six' and if you get six you want seven."

Aside from Scotland's Hendry, fellow Englishmen O'Sullivan and Steve Davis, a six-time winner, no other player has claimed more world titles in Sheffield than Selby. Another Scot, John Higgins, is also on four.

And having signalled his return to form this season by winning the English Open and the WST Classic after battling well-documented mental health issues, Selby is hopeful of another successful run on snooker's biggest stage.

"Mentally I am in a better place than where I was last year because I came out about my mental health," he added.

"That was tough because, with what I experienced, you just don't know if you are going to play snooker again and how you are going to cope.

"To get back in that final [The English Open] and win was huge. You always question yourself, thinking, 'is that it and am I not going to win another tournament? Am I going to be playing again at the top level'? Those thoughts were flashing back.

"To be back in the winners' enclosure gave me a springboard and the confidence going forward. You come here [as a former champion] not having to question yourself."

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Fifth Crucible crown would 'mean the most' after struggles

Selby last won the world crown in 2021, but considered not defending his title last year as he battled ongoing mental health challenges.

He decided to compete, beating Jamie Jones in round one before losing 13-10 to Yan Bingtao in the last 16.

A year on, Selby told BBC Radio Leicester he is "still not out of the woods" with his mental health issues, but feels lifting another world title would be his greatest achievement.

"If I was to win it again at any stage, I think it would probably mean the most out of all of them," he added.

"But last year, just coming here and playing, I lost in the last 16 but, for me I felt like I had won the tournament, just even being able to play from where I was.

"Now it's just about enjoying the game. If I come here and win, then fantastic. If I don't, then as long as I can go out there with a smile on my face and enjoy it, that's the biggest thing for me.

"I sort of held it together for two or three years without speaking out and then I found out it's OK not to be OK. One thing I have learned is that the more you speak about it, the better."

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