Mark Selby has shortened his cue action for the new season.He has mainly eradicated the ‘swaying’ action that made him so distinctive and does not feather the cue ball as much as before. This means he has quickened up.
The new action was in evidence during his 5-1 victory over Andrew Higginson at the Northern Ireland Trophy in Belfast yesterday.
However, Selby did not need to be at the top of his game as Higginson, playing his first match on TV since he appeared in the 2007 Welsh Open final, struggled.
Selby was never slow in the Eddie Charlton mould. He was merely slower than most of the other top players.
One of the reasons he changed his action is because he is shortly to make his debut in the Premier League where there is a 25 second per shot limit.
He may also have felt himself becoming tired as tournaments wore on because he was expending so much mental energy.
It’s a risk to change something that has been successful. Selby’s gamble is that it will make him even more successful.
4 comments:
He did have a very distinctive cue action the way he swayed whilst lining up a shot, but it did work! I think it is a good point about the Premier League though, he would be consistently asking for an extension. The 5-1 victory over Higginson was comfortable but using a completely new cue action can be very uncomfortable so a victory of that magnitude, even against a below par player, is still a good victory.
A match against McCulloch now for a place i the last 8 and a good start to his season.
interesting point you make Dave about mental energy. I have a recollection of Selby mentioning sometime last season that although he was only 24 he felt like 40 often because of the toll the game was taking on him. Sorry I can't remember exactly where and when ... but maybe someone does?
He said that on January 22, after winning the 2008 Masters Final. :)
Sorry, January 20...
Post a Comment