Mark Selby sinks 'double-double' and incredible fluke in victory over Jackson Page at Shenzhen Open

Mark Selby advanced into the last 16 of the Shenzhen Open with a thumping 5-1 victory over Jackson Page on Wednesday, and the Englishman was helped by an array of doubles, ranging from the sublime to the fortunate.

‘It’s amazing what confidence does’ – Selby discusses fine season start

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Selby has enjoyed a strong start to the season, winning 19 of his 23 matches so far and with a title already under his belt following a record fourth triumph at the China Open in August.

The 43-year-old looks on course to challenge for another tournament victory this week and was in blistering form against Page, with three breaks over 130 securing an impressive win after going 1-0 down against the Welshman.

It was not just the century breaks entertaining the Shenzhen crowd, with the four-time world champion pulling off an impressive ”double-double” in the third frame.

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Selby had all but secured a 2-1 lead thanks to his ongoing break of 54, but the final three reds were up against the cushions as he looked to deliver a second successive ton following a contribution of 132 in the previous frame.

Two of the reds were only centimetres away from the left side cushion, just below the centre pocket, but, on either side of a routine pink, Selby produced two perfectly executed doubles into the right centre pocket to keep his break going.

‘They’re already clapping’ – Crowd applaud early as Selby sinks ‘double double’

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Recalling a treble Selby pulled off as he made a maximum against Jack Lisowski in 2022, Dave Hendon asked on TNT Sports commentary: ”Is it going to be a double-double?”

The crowd gave him his answer before the red disappeared, with Hendon remarking: ”They’re already clapping, doubles all round!”

Selby potted the final red along the top cushion and followed it up with another black, but a missed yellow on his next shot denied him the century.

In the following frame, Selby produced another double, but this time at a much more crucial juncture and thanks to fortune rather than skill.

The Englishman held a 24-point lead, with 25 points left on the table, meaning he required only the green to leave Page needing snookers.

Selby, with the cue ball towards the top cushion, attempted a safety shot, seemingly with the intention of sending the green back down the table and leaving the white in baulk.

The 'Jester' mis-hit his shot but benefited from an incredible fluke as he doubled the green straight into the yellow pocket.

‘It was so badly hit’ – Selby bows head, apologises after incredible fluke

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There was evidently a degree of embarrassment in the way he secured the fourth frame, with Selby bowing his head before holding up a hand of apology to Page.

”Well, that’s one way to pot it,” Hendon said on commentary. ”What a fluke! What a fluke that is. Now Jackson Page needs two snookers.”

Fergal O’Brien added: ”It was so badly hit, so far removed from the shot he was trying to play.”

Selby completed the victory in style, though, following the mid-session interval, with breaks of 135 and 138 to book his place in the last 16, where he will face Stephen Maguire.

”It's amazing what confidence does, just in general,” Selby said after the victory.

”I'm confident with my game at the moment; I know that I'm playing some good stuff. When I get my chances, I'm confident I'm going to take them. Today was one of them days.

”The standard of snooker nowadays: if you're not scoring when you get your chance, you can't be winning tournaments and competing at the back end. I seem to be doing that at the moment, and long may it continue.”

Selby’s three centuries took his career total of tons to 977, and the 'Jester' said he has his eyes on the approaching four-figure milestone, which only Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, John Higgins and Neil Robertson have achieved.

”I don’t know how many I'm on at the moment,” he admitted. ”But I do need to look because I don't want to be making my 1000th century behind closed doors. That's for sure.”

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