World Snooker Championship - Mark Selby: Opening up about suicidal thoughts and getting help was ‘biggest achievement’

Mark Selby has told Eurosport that speaking about having suicidal thoughts and getting help for his depression was his «biggest achievement» — more than anything else in his illustrious career. The 39-year-old, who is playing in the final of the World Championship against Luca Brecel, admitted that his victory at the English Open «meant everything» but that speaking out about his mental health was bigger than anything he has achieved in snooker. Ad Selby revealed last year that he had been “suffering for a few years” with depression and “bottling everything up” – but felt at the time as though “half the battle is won” after having spoken out about what he was going through.

World Championship‘You can’t predict what he’s going to do’ – O’Sullivan on how Brecel is beating Selby3 HOURS AGO He made the decision to speak out after consulting his wife Vicky about the best way to move forward, and he took another major step in his recovery as he clinched the English Open title after having experienced a drought in his snooker career. «Yeah, it meant everything,» Selby reflected as he looked back on his very emotional triumph at the Brentwood Centre. «Obviously because I had gone 18, 19 months of not winning and I spoke out about my mental health.

»To overcome that barrier, and obviously have that mental strength of winning again, I wasn't sure if that was ever going to happen. So to tick that box and realise I can still do it is obviously a great feeling. «It was the biggest thing I ever did, speaking about it.