World number 38 Matt Selt has produced the surprise story of the Scottish Open this week, charging into the semi-finals and crediting his stunning form to practice sessions with snooker royalty.
Practice with the Greats Fuels Surprise Run
The 40-year-old, who has endured a disappointing season, is into the final four in Edinburgh after a series of impressive victories. Selt defeated Ryan Day and the Chinese trio of He Guoqiang, Wu Yize and Jiang Jun to set up a semi-final clash with Chris Wakelin on Saturday afternoon.
Now based in Dubai, Selt revealed that a dedicated trip to Scotland to train with John Higgins, followed by regular practice with fellow Dubai residents Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump, has been the catalyst for his revival. He admits his game had been "all over the place" for months.
‘At the start of this week I went from Blackpool to play John Higgins for a couple of days,’ Selt told the World Snooker Tour. ‘That was fantastic for me... Without that I would have probably been beaten and gone home.’
He added, ‘I’ve been fortunate to practise with Ronnie and Judd in Dubai over the last couple of months. Practising with the best is something people dream of doing.’
Selt Remains Grounded Despite Semis Berth
Despite his remarkable progress, the 2019 Indian Open champion is keeping his feet firmly on the ground. After beating Jiang Jun in the quarter-finals, he suggested he has ‘no chance’ of lifting the Stephen Hendry Trophy this weekend.
‘I’m just concentrating on pulling my cue back the desired amount,’ Selt said. ‘The rest of it is falling into place. Luckily enough I’ve made the semis... but I don’t think it will happen. I’ll keep trying my best.’
He did, however, express pleasure with his aggressive performance against Jiang, stating he felt he played "pretty well" to secure the win.
Chang Bingyu Stuns Selby in Other Semi-Final
The other semi-final in Edinburgh presents a fascinating contrast. Mark Allen will face the young Chinese star Chang Bingyu, who is in his first ever ranking semi-final.
Chang’s route has been spectacular, beating world number two Kyren Wilson in the last 16 before ousting the in-form Mark Selby in the quarter-finals. Selby arrived in Edinburgh fresh from winning the Champion of Champions and UK Championship titles.
‘I actually didn’t think that I can beat him today because he’s been playing unbelievably well recently,’ said the 23-year-old Chang, who has rocketed up the rankings since returning from a match-fixing ban. ‘So this time I would be glad to take even one frame. Then I won the first frame and it helped me relax.’
The stage is now set for a thrilling conclusion to the Scottish Open, with an experienced campaigner inspired by legends facing a fearless young talent in the hunt for the trophy.
