Mark Selby Matthew Selt Sporting Mark Selby Matthew Selt

World Snooker Championship 2023: Mark Selby wows Matthew Selt with safety escape labelled 'shot of the championship'

eurosport.com

Matthew Selt declared a fantastic safety escape by Mark Selby as the best shot of the 2023 World Championship. Trailing 8-6 in the first-round match, Selt looked to have put Selby in a very difficult position as he played tightly up behind the brown after potting a long red.

Ad With red balls clustered around the other end of the table it looked a challenge for Selby to get out without leaving a pot on.

World ChampionshipSelby holds off Selt fightback to reach World Championship second round27 MINUTES AGO But the four-time champion showed his class as he hit the white off three cushions – narrowly passing behind the back of the pink on the way – and rolled into a red.

The safety shot wowed Selt, who exclaimed: “That’s the shot of the championship over!” Eurosport commentator Neal Foulds was also impressed. “That’s a brilliant shot to go round the back of the pink and hit that red, it really is,” he said. “It was a brilliant shot, a great escape. “There might be better pots but as far as escapes go it was right up there.” Exclusive: O'Sullivan responds to astonishing Vafaei attack O'Sullivan's greatest Crucible grudge matches The safety shot almost paid immediate dividends for Selby as Selt’s next shot left a plant on.

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