Adam Williams presents his prediction for the World Snooker Championship match.
Xiao Guodong and Matthew Selt contest the opening match of the World Snooker Championship.
Xiao Guodong
The 36-year-old Chinese player is arguably in the form of his career, enjoying his best season to date. His excellent performances throughout the season have propelled Xiao into the top 16, allowing him to qualify for the World Championship without navigating the qualifying rounds for the first time. He hasn’t graced the Crucible since 2018. However, this season, Guodong secured victory at the Wuhan Open, reached the final of the Champion of Champions tournament, and featured in three ranking semi-finals. Xiao also surpassed the 300-century break milestone in his career, entering the elite echelon of world snooker and currently occupying 14th place in the world rankings.
Matthew Selt
Matthew Selt enjoyed a stroke of good fortune to qualify for the Crucible. In his final qualifying match, Selt faced Jimmy Robertson and trailed 3-8, but remarkably managed to level the scores and force the match to a deciding frame. In the dying embers of the match, Robertson faltered on the final pink, allowing Selt to pot the match ball. This stroke of fortune should embolden the 34-year-old Englishman to perform strongly in his match against Xiao. On the other hand, if fortune favoured Selt on this occasion, it may well demand repayment further down the line.
Xiao Guodong vs Matthew Sel Prediction
Throughout the season, Xiao Guodong has displayed impressive consistency, reaching the latter stages of tournaments and compiling substantial breaks. Guodong exhibits superior mental fortitude and is less susceptible to pressure. Conversely, Selt is prone to lapses in concentration, resulting in errors in straightforward situations. We anticipate that Xiao will secure a comfortable victory.
