Selby's blog: on 2009

My New Year's resolution is simply to win more tournaments and I'm feeling nicely refreshed after the Christmas period.

After the UK Championship I decided to have a break and put the cue down for a while. I just spent some time with my girlfriend.

Her family came over for Christmas which was really nice, and again for New Year's Eve I took it easy. I didn't go out and instead had a few friends over to celebrate.

It was only really on New Year's Day that I started practising for the Masters which starts next week.

What helps is that I don't have a snooker table at home - I just go to my local club when I need to practise. You don't want to be working from home and if you have a table there it is always hard to relax.

Certainly, I've had a nice start to 2009 already. I'm currently playing in the Championship League in Crondon Park in Essex and I have got off to a great start in the competition (see link under picture for more). What's more, I have just produced the 100th century of my career, which is a nice landmark.

I knew after the UK Championship I was in the late 90s but I wasn't thinking about getting my 100th century and didn't even know I had achieved the feat until I was told afterwards.

I think my first century came when I was just 16 in the second match of my career against Peter Lines in Plymouth. Now I just have to get my first 147 and it would be nice to save that for the World Championship this year.

I feel my game is in good shape at the moment and I'm looking forward to trying to defend my Masters title at Wembley next week.

The Championship League is certainly great match practice for the Masters. If you look at the calibre of the group I'm in - which features Joe Perry, Ryan Day, Ding Junhui, Ali Carter, Shaun Murphy and Stephen Hendry - you really couldn't ask for better opponents to play against.

At Wembley, I will play Mark King or Ricky Walden in the first round. I have more experience playing Mark but whoever I meet I'll be very determined to win.

The last time I faced Ricky he beat me in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters and Mark knocked me out of the World Championship last year, so I feel I owe both of them a defeat!

It will also be great to play at Wembley which must be the biggest venue we play on the circuit.

The Crucible is still my favourite venue as it has that special atmosphere and history, but after that Wembley it is certainly one of the best.

Last year was actually my first time at the venue - in any capacity. I never even went there as a spectator as a kid, so I'm hoping that I can help build on the happy memories from last year when I play there next week.