'Mark Selby is getting a taste of his own medicine' - Star escapes torrid snooker against Cao Yupeng

ByDan Quarrell

Updated 13/10/2021 at 17:04 GMT

After losing the opening frame, Selby found himself in a lot of trouble when 61-25 up in the second as Cao grabbed an opportunity to slide the cue ball in behind the black with the lone remaining red stranded up the table. Fortunately for the Leicester man, he was able to get out of the snooker perfectly with a precise shot off two cushions before making contact with the cue ball,

World number one Mark Selby got "a taste of his own medicine" against Cao Yupeng on Monday as the world champion was forced to escape a torrid snooker.

The 38-year-old is renowned for his tactical approach and penchant for making life as difficult as possible for his opponents, and he engaged in a desperately cagey encounter with Cao in his Northern Ireland Open first-round match.

After losing the opening frame, Selby found himself in a lot of trouble when 61-25 up in the second as Cao grabbed an opportunity to slide the cue ball in behind the black with the lone remaining red stranded up the table.

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The Chinese player only required one snooker to get back in the frame right at the business end, and it was an immaculate shot to put his opponent in trouble.

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"That is not a simple snooker to hit," Eurosport expert Neal Foulds noted after Cao's shot.

Philip Studd, his co-commentator, added: "So often it is Mark Selby turning the screw with snookers, putting his opponent under the cosh.

He's getting a taste of his own medicine here!

'Would you believe that?' - Selby drops rest on brown in 'extraordinary' gaffe

Fortunately for the Leicester man, he was able to get out of the snooker perfectly with a precise shot off two cushions before making contact with the cue ball, which duly rolled up to baulk.

Foulds said of Selby's wonderful subsequent escape shot: "Ah, well played. Really good. It's very easy to go out the back if there isn't enough room."

Selby proceeded to win the frame and get his revenge in the third frame as Cao saw the tables turned on him in classic fashion.

'It was all or nothing!' - Cao misses final black to hand Selby victory

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Stream the Northern Ireland Open live and on demand on discovery+, the Eurosport app and eurosport.com.

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