Snooker news: 'John is a very humble person' – Matthew Selt thanks Chelsea icon John Terry ahead of new season
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ByEurosport
Updated 12/07/2021 at 12:09 GMT
Matthew Selt is relishing the chance to build on his strong finish to last season when the new snooker campaign gets underway with the Championship League breaking off in Leicester on Sunday. The world number 30 has revealed how a summer golf trip to Scotland with close friend Stephen Hendry and former Chelsea captain John Terry has boosted his morale.
Matthew Selt | Snooker | ESP Player Feature
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Matthew Selt has revealed how a golfing trip to Scotland with Chelsea icon and snooker fan John Terry has given him the perfect motivation ahead of the new campaign.
2019 Indian Open winner Selt starts his Championship League bid on Tuesday 3 August at Morningside Arena in Leicester when he contests Group 27 alongside Ashley Carty, Lukas Kleckers and Fraser Patrick.
Selt lost 4-1 to world number one Judd Trump in the semi-finals of the Gibraltar Open in March and qualified for the World Championship in April before losing 10-3 to Barry Hawkins in the first round at the Crucible.
The Essex player believes he can learn a lot from the mental strength of retired 78-times capped former England captain Terry, who lifted the Champions League, Europa League, five Premier League titles and five FA Cups during a trophy-laden 19-year spell at Stamford Bridge between 1998 until 2017.
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“It was ridiculous. I was like a kid at Christmas," said 36-year-old Selt after his trip to Loch Lomond, former home of the Scottish Open, with seven-times world champion Stephen Hendry.
"I stayed a night before at the hotel in Luton as I didn’t want to miss the flight. What a treat. Those things don’t come around very often. To be invited and be able to do it was incredible. Loch Lomond was phenomenal, not a blade of grass out of place.
"We drove to this private hanger and just jumped on the plane. We got off the plane and a car drove us to Loch Lomond. What an experience.
John chartered the jet for us to go up there. He is an incredibly generous person. The guy I sat next to on the plane is a member up at Loch Lomond and paid for everything. I was mixing in circles that I would never be involved in.
“John is a very humble person. We couldn’t land into Luton on the way back and had to land at and get a car over to Luton. We were all sat in the back of this car late at night.
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John Terry of Chelsea poses with the Premier League Trophy after the Premier League match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on May 21, 2017 in London, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
"It was him and a guy called Zane Scotland, who used to be a professional golfer. We were talking about feelings and emotions associated with professional sport. It was nice to get a different point of view from a golfer and a footballer.
"Ultimately, we are playing different sports but we all want the same thing and that is to win.
"Just to dive into that mindset of someone who has achieved what John has, was really nice.”
Selt has been as high as 20 in the world rankings five years ago, but is striving for the consistency that can see him take the next step in the sport.
"For the real top guys, the super elite, it doesn’t matter how they are feeling deep down as they know they have the game to compete in any round of any tournament," said Selt speaking to World Snooker Tour.
"That is something we are all trying to work towards. It would be nice to be able to go to a tournament thinking I can compete, even when I don’t feel particularly good about my game.
"Sometimes my attitude is poor, but having said that I never ever give up. The consistency would make things interesting and it would be nice to see what would happen.”
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