Adam Williams presents his prediction for the World Snooker Championship match.
Mark Selby and Ben Woollaston will play in the first round of the World Championship, and it will be a Leicester derby. For Woollaston, it will be only his second appearance at the Crucible since 2013.
Mark Selby
The 41-year-old “Jester from Leicester” is among the favourites to win the World Championship. A winner of 24 ranking titles, Selby is renowned for his tactical discipline and his ability to exert incredible pressure on opponents through positional play. Mark has already won three tournaments this season, including the British Open and Welsh Open. Selby is a player who can win even when not at his best. Mark possesses a brilliant snooker IQ, as well as the composure to cope with pressure in crucial frames. When Selby is in good form, he simply dominates his opponents.
Ben Woollaston
The 37-year-old Leicester native is a solid mid-table player on the main tour who could cause an upset if everything clicks into place. Woollaston is currently ranked 44th in the world. Since turning professional in 2004, Ben has never climbed higher than 26th in the world rankings. However, Ben is capable of troubling the top players. This season, Woollaston has defeated Mark Williams and Gary Wilson, and has pushed Shaun Murphy, Barry Hawkins, and John Higgins close. This will be Ben’s second visit to the Crucible, having first graced the famous arena in 2013, when he lost to Ali Carter 10-4. To reach the Crucible this year, Woollaston overcame Mark Davis 10-9 and Ross Muir 10-4.
Mark Selby vs Ben Woollaston Prediction
Mark Selby and Ben Woollaston are very familiar with each other’s game, and often practice together. Ben needs to surprise Selby early on to prevent him from establishing control of the match. If Ben can make a strong start, he might stand a chance. However, we believe that Selby is the stronger player overall. Mark Selby is superior in every aspect of snooker and has far more experience of playing under pressure. We think this will be a fairly easy match for Selby.
