Mark Selby v Barry Hawkins live stream | World Grand Prix 2021 preview
Selby and Hawkins collide at Ally Pally (Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images)
Mark Selby looks to put his difficult start to the season behind him when he locks horns with Barry Hawkins in the opening round of the World Grand Prix on Tuesday.
The reigning World champion arrives at the Coventry Building Society Arena this week seeded only 21st on the one-year list.
Indeed, the Jester is yet to progress beyond the last 16 of any ranking tournament; reaching that stage of all three Home Nations events.
Selby is an ever-present at the World Grand Prix, reaching the semi-finals on two occasions.
The world number one is notoriously still awaiting his first silverware in an event televised on ITV, and would love to break his duck this week and end 2021 on a high.
Selby has lost five of his six previous meetings with Hawkins, although four of those have come in the Championship League.
Nevertheless, the Hawk knows what it takes to defeat the Leicester cueist on the big stage, having done so twice at the Crucible in 2012 and 2013, as well as the 2017 Masters.
Hawkins also has fond memories of this tournament; lifting the trophy in 2017 following a 10-7 victory over Ryan Day in the final for the biggest win of his career to date.
However, that also marks the last time the 2013 World finalist added any silverware to his trophy cabinet; something he will be desperate to address as soon as possible.
But despite a first-round exit at the Scottish Open, the Kent cueist is fresh from a brilliant run to the UK Championship semi-finals less than a fortnight ago.
The winner will play either Mark Allen or Cao Yupeng in the second round.
Play gets underway at 1pm GMT on Tuesday and will be contested over the best of seven frames at the Coventry Building Society Arena.