A few people had expressed concerns about Mark Selby’s schedule and travel plans to Berlin for the German Masters after losing a tight final of the Chinese Eight-ball Pool World Championship to Darren Appleton on Monday night.
But after a narrow 21-19 defeat the snooker world champion certainly looked cheery enough after jetting in to Germany on Tuesday night, in plenty of time for his opening match on the main TV table against Anthony McGill on Wednesday afternoon.
Selby, with a strong pool pedigree before making it big in the 15-reds game, thoroughly enjoyed the experience and picked up £30,000 for his efforts in the Far East, playing with his trusted snooker cue.
And it was certainly no disgrace losing to Appleton, a former pool world champion and world No1. Selby had beaten Appleton 11-7 in the eight-ball pool world championship final nine years previously.