Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston live stream | World Snooker Championship 2025 preview
Selby plays fellow Leicester cuiest Ben Woollaston on Wednesday (Cody Froggatt/Sportimage Credit: Sportimage Ltd/Alamy Live News)
Mark Selby launches his latest quest for a fifth World Championship title against Ben Woollaston in an all-Leicester battle on Wednesday.
A clash of the Foxes comprises the penultimate first-round tie of this year’s tournament at The Crucible, where Selby lifted the trophy in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021.
Despite all those positive memories, the Jester later admitted he had no desire to compete at last year’s championship.
Suffering only his fifth first-round exit in 20 appearances against another Leicester cuiest in Joe O’Connor, Selby conceded he was contemplating retirement having lost his enjoyment for the game.
Thankfully, he opted to carry on and that decision has been vindicated this season, in which he has returned to the winners’ circle by landing the British Open, Welsh Open and Championship League.
Selby, who was also runner-up to John Higgins at the Tour Championship last time out, has every reason to be optimistic heading into his 21st successive Crucible campaign.
Meanwhile, it is only the second for his opponent, who made his debut 12 years earlier.
Woollaston is enjoying something a resurgence this season, with health issues having hindered his progress in recent years.
The former Welsh Open finalist has racked up 21 match wins this term – his highest tally in five years. The last two of those came in qualifying, where he recovered from 9-8 down to edge out Mark Davis, before overcoming Ross Muir 10-4.
World number 44 Woollaston now looks to round off an improved season by claiming the scalp of Selby, and matching his best performance of the campaign, having also reached the last 16 at the English and Wuhan Open.
The match breaks off at 7pm BST on Wednesday with the opening nine frames, before playing to a conclusion at the same time the following day with a maximum of 10 at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
How to watch Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston live stream
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