Mark Selby has revealed that he was one of the players pushing for the World Snooker Championship to remain at the Crucible.
The World Snooker Tour announced on Tuesday that the World Championship will remain in Sheffield until at least 2045, with an option to extend to 2050.
The agreement was reached following extensive talks between WST and Sheffield City Council, with national and local government providing £35 million of the £45m cost requirement to renovate the famous theatre.
As part of those refurbishments, there will be the potential to add up to 500 additional seats, with the World Championship to be played away from the Crucible in 2029 - and possibly 2030 - while that work is completed.
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Speaking to SPORTbible following the announcement, four-time world champion Selby spoke of his delight that snooker will continue to visit Sheffield for its flagship tournament.
"It's amazing," he said. "For months, there's been talk that it may move, it may stay, it may not.
"I was one of the players that wanted it to stay. I think it's a great venue, and with the history of the World Championship being there, I've never known anything else. It's sort of our Wembley.
"It's fantastic news. In 2045, I'm not sure I'll be playing then! But it's great that for the next few years while I'm playing, I know we'll be going back there."
As mentioned, Selby has made more memories than most other players at the Crucible, having won the world title in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021.
"As a young lad growing up, all you ever want to achieve in a sport is to try and become the best you can possibly be. And that's basically trying to become world champion or world number one.
"To go there and actually win it once would have been amazing. But to know that I've gone there and won four times, and I've got that experience... you get the butterflies going, even now, knowing that you've won it a few times. It's a great drive going up to Sheffield."
Selby goes into this year's World Championship full of confidence, with 'The Jester from Leicester' sat in third place in the one-year prize money rankings.
The 42-year-old won the UK Championship in December for his first Triple Crown title in four years, defeating Judd Trump 10-8 in the final.
"That's probably the one I aim for now every year, to add to that tally of Triple Crown titles," he explains.
"I always think that, when you eventually retire and hang your cue up, that's where you get judged on. It's the same with tennis, and the Grand Slams.
"I always put a little bit more pressure on myself for those tournaments - the Masters, the UK and the worlds - so with it being a few years since I'd last won one, it was a great feeling winning the UK.
"I'd won that twice and I'd won the Masters three times, so it was nice to get on level par with that.
"Now I'm on four for the worlds, so I need to try and tick off the Masters and the UK again!"
But how does Selby think he can fare this year at the Crucible and, indeed, does he think he can add to his tally of four world snooker titles?
"It would be nice to win one more. If I could guarantee one more, I'm level with [John] Higgins with four, so it would be nice to try and get to one more and be on a number out there on my own.
"Every year I've gone there since 2021, I've been trying. I lost to Luca [Brecel] in the final in 2023.
"Then the last few years, I've not had great performances there, losing out in the first round the last two years. So hopefully this year, I can do a bit better."
Topics: Snooker, World Snooker Championship, Spotlight
Ryan Smart