Mark Selby sees English Open snooker title defence ended by Martin O'Donnell – 'I could see Mark was struggling'
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 03/10/2023 at 23:44 GMT
Martin O'Donnell admitted he was thrilled with his form in a 4-2 win over Mark Selby that ended the four-time world champion's English Open title defence at the second-round stage on Tuesday night. "If anyone can dig out a result when he is tired, it’s Mark. I took nothing for granted, kept my focus all the way through and tried to put pressure on him," said O'Donnell after reaching the last 32.
'An extraordinary end to the match' - O'Donnell records 'famous victory' over Selby
Mark Selby's English Open title defence is over after the four-time world champion lost 4-2 to Martin O'Donnell in a shock defeat in the last 64 at the Brentwood Centre in Essex.
It was a first professional victory for O’Donnell against last week's British Open finalist, who had lost all six of his previous meetings with the Leicester player.
Some superb long-range potting proved key to the victory against a jaded-looking Selby, who was forced to play two matches in a day after overcoming Zihao Xing 4-1 earlier on Tuesday.
It was also his ninth match in nine days amid his run to the British Open final with former world no. 34 O'Donnell proving too good as breaks of 51, 102 and 58 secured a last-32 meeting with Stephen Maguire, who completed a 4-2 win over another Leicester cueman in Louis Heathcote.
Selby had lifted the English Open title last December with a 9-6 win against Luca Brecel.
“I could see Mark was struggling a bit towards the end of his match this afternoon," O'Donnell told reporters. "But he’s a marathon man, he has won the world title four times and he has got more stamina than anyone else in the game.
"If anyone can dig out a result when he is tired, it’s Mark. I took nothing for granted, kept my focus all the way through and tried to put pressure on him. The TV table was lovely, a joy to play on. I don’t get to play on that table often, and when I do it’s usually against an absolute machine.
"It was nice to pot some long balls and create chances. I will go to bed buzzing tonight, but there is no point beating Mark and then losing in the next round.
"Tomorrow is another today, and I need to be on top of my game otherwise I’ll be going home. It’s a fresh start for me this season. The tournaments are coming thick and fast now and tonight’s result gives me some momentum.”
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/10/03/3796496-77219853-2560-1440.jpg)
'It was very hot out there' - Trump on 'tricky' conditions in O'Sullivan English Open win
Elsewhere, 2006 world champion Graeme Dott ended the hopes of European Masters holder Barry Hawkins with a 4-2 win. Hawkins made 134 in the fifth frame, but knocks of 83, 66 and 56 helped Dott finalise his last-32 spot.
Oliver Lines built on his 4-3 win over Kyren Wilson with a 4-1 success against Martin Gould, while UK champion Mark Allen also reached the last 32 with a 4-1 triumph against Wu Yize.
Welsh Open champion Robert Milkins completed a 4-3 victory against Adam Duffy that saw him run in breaks of 54, 129 and 64 as he came from 3-2 behind to reach the third round.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/10/03/3797038-77230693-2560-1440.jpg)
'He looks a little bit off it' - O'Donnell reflects on win over 'sluggish' Selby
Latest English Open results
Second round
- Robert Milkins 4-3 Adam Duffy
- Graeme Dott 4-2 Barry Hawkins
- Stephen Maguire 4-2 Louis Heathcote
- Martin O'Donnell 4-2 Mark Selby
- Mark Davis 4-2 David Lilley
- Gary Wilson 4-3 Dominic Dale
- Oliver Lines 4-1 Martin Gould
- Elliot Slessor 4-2 Ryan Davies
- Sanderson Lam 4 -0 Stuart Carrington
- Luca Brecel 4-1 Andy Hicks
- Mark Allen 4-1 Wu Yize
- Hossein Vafaei 4-3 Julien Leclercq
- Judd Trump 4-1 Scott Donaldson
- He Guoqiang 4-3 Ryan Day
- John Higgins 4-2 James Cahill
- Ding Junhui 4-1 David Grace
- Cao Yupeng 4-0 David Gilbert
First Round
- Mark J Williams 4-0 Ian Burns
- Mark Selby 4-1 Xing Zihao
- - -
Stream top snooker action, including the English Open from October 2-8, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement