MARK Selby reached the final of the World Snooker Championships, but ultimately lost 18-15 to Luca Brecel.
More than just a poker face at the snooker table, Selby has his doting wife Vikki by his side when he competes.
Who is Mark Selby?
Mark Anthony Selby was born on June 19, 1983, in Leicester.
He began playing pool and snooker when he was eight.
Abandoned by his mother at the age of eight, Selby sadly lost his father to cancer when he was 16.
Following the death of his father, Mark lived with family friend and snooker coach Alan Perkins who encouraged him to devote himself to snooker.
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Two months later, he joined the main professional tour, having left school with no qualifications and the rest is history.
Mark became known as "The Jester from Leicester" by snooker compere Richard Beare.
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to snooker and charity.
Who is Mark Selby's wife Vikki Layton?
Selby's wife Vikki Layton is a former Irish international pool player, who was born in Ipswich.
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The pair became engaged in 2010 and married in Mexico in May 2011.
Selby paid an emotional tribute to his wife and father-in-law Terry after his Crucible victory in 2016.
He said: “I’ve not really got that much family so I class Vikki’s family as my own.
“She lost her father last year and two years ago, when I won it, he was here watching.
“So it was quite emotional him not being here.
“But I’m sure he was looking down and if this was for anyone it was for Terry.
“I knew Vikki would be emotional.
“Terry was probably the next biggest thing I had to a father other than my real father and I hope they’d both be proud.”
Belgian ace Luca Brecel spoke about Vikki's health problems after he beat Selby in the World Championship final on Monday, May 1, 2023.
Brecel said: "I want to say to Mark and Vikki: Please stay strong."
And Selby added: "She has been poorly but is coming out of the other side of it now. Hopefully things will be okay.
"It was nice what Luca said. He didn’t know. I spoke to him on Sunday and told the situation.
"He has mentioned it. He didn’t have to – fair play to him.
"It’s been tough with things going on with Vikki.
"Since January, I’ve not really been practising. For a few weeks it was tough, coping and managing my own mental health and what’s been going on with Vikki.
"Hopefully we are out of the other side of it."
How many children do they have?
The couple have a daughter Sofia Maria who was born in 2014.
They have enjoyed victory pictures as a family with their daughter after tournament triumphs in the past.
What are Mark Selby's snooker accomplishments?
Selby has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments during his career, including four World Championships in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021.
He won his first Masters title in 2008, with his second coming in 2010.
He triumphed for a third time in 2013.
His first UK Championship win came in 2012, with a second following in 2016, when he defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final.
He’s also a two-time winner of the China Open and a three-time champion of the German Masters.
He held the number-one ranking for more than four years and has been the runner-up in several major tournaments, including in the 2023 World Championship final where he lost to Belgian Luca Brecel.
However during the match, he achieved the first maximum 147 break in a World Championship final.
What is Mark Selby's net worth?
According to Idol Net Worth, Mark has a net worth of $12million (£96million).
As runner-up at the 2023 World Champs he took home prize money of £200,000.
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Selby also received a share of the £40,000 prize for a maximum break at the tournament as well as sharing £15,000 for the highest break.
Both he and Kyren Wilson made a 147 at the Crucible Theatre.
All you need to know about the Snooker World Championship
THE big final is firmly underway at the Crucible - and the winner will be crowned snooker's world champion.
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