Mark Selby looking to conquer the ‘Curse of the Crucible’ and retain title

Mark Selby knows he has to not only defeat 31 other players vying to cause an upset at the BetFred World Snooker Championship but he must also conquer the ’Curse of the Crucible’.

The 31-year-old beat Ronnie O’Sullivan to win the title last year and goes into the 2015 tournament in good form having sealed victory in the China Open earlier this month.

With the tournament getting under way on Saturday, Selby is looking to break the so-called curse — no first-time champion has ever been able to successfully defend the crown the following year.