Ronnie v Selby is snooker's best matchup

I don't like either player particularly (though I prefer Sullivan), and I LOATHE their fans (most of them). Many Ronnie fans are morons without realising it, some Selby fans are the most uppity snobs you'll find anywhere without realising it.

BUT

I love Ronnie v Selby matches. It's the purest clash of styles in the game. Selby is the best player in the world, Ronnie is the best of all time and still a class act. Selby's the greatest match player on earth by a mile, Ronnie is STILL the best at what he does.

Their head-to-head record is so even, particularly in bigger matches. It's our Prost v Senna, Borg v McEnroe.

We'll look back on this matchup as one of the highlights of snooker history, even if their fans are a shower of chameleons.

Problem with the deluded Ronnie fans is they think he's some kind of God. Problem with deluded Selby fans is they think you can only be a true Snooker fan if you aren't a fan of Ronnie.

It's the ultimate clash of styles no doubt about it. In recent meetings though Selby doesn't get inside Ronnie's head as much as he used to, especially in that 2010 Mastes Final and World Quarters the same year.


It's one of the very best matchups of all time no doubt, and in 20 or 30 year time we will look back at it and think how furtunate we were to see them play in this era, some of us even watched the 2 live in the arena.

Andre147 wrote:Problem with the deluded Ronnie fans is they think he's some kind of God. Problem with deluded Selby fans is they think you can only be a true Snooker fan if you aren't a fan of Ronnie.

Aye aye Andre

Andre147 wrote:Problem with the deluded Ronnie fans is they think he's some kind of God. Problem with deluded Selby fans is they think you can only be a true Snooker fan if you aren't a fan of Ronnie.

It's the ultimate clash of styles no doubt about it. In recent meetings though Selby doesn't get inside Ronnie's head as much as he used to, especially in that 2010 Mastes Final and World Quarters the same year.


It's one of the very best matchups of all time no doubt, and in 20 or 30 year time we will look back at it and think how furtunate we were to see them play in this era, some of us even watched the 2 live in the arena.

If Selby wins he will have done so because he was most likely the better player on the day. Not because he got inside Ronnie's head, slowed the play down, used gamesmanship or any of that nonsense.

That said, I wouldn't put it past him to do those things which I mentioned.

Mark my words, people won't appreciate the O'Sullivan v Selby rivalry until it's gone. It's the Federer v Nadal of snooker, the naturally-gifted genius versus the determined, hard-working and gritty challenger.

Whether you think the game will miss ROS or not when he's gone, him and Selby give the game that special head-to-head that every sport needs and the game is much the better because of it. There is nothing remotely close to it amongst the other players.

O Sullivan Higgins and O Sullivan Hendry are/were better match ups.

TheRocket wrote:O Sullivan Higgins and O Sullivan Hendry are/were better match ups.

O'Sullivan v Higgins probably.

I always liked the old school Higgins vs Ronnie matches.

If you can call it old school, when they played last week.

Ronnie vs Selby is todays equivalent of Alex vs Davis or White vs Hendry. The only difference is in this case the popular one is also the one who has won the most titles.

Matchup not looking so good now. Ronnie needs to win another final against Selby otherwise it'll start to be one sided!

If anything they are more like Federer vs Djokovic.

Even the path they follow is quiet the same. Djokovic starting beating Federer at the slams consistenly in 2014-2015 and now you have Selby who won the last two major finals against Ronnie.

Erza Scarlet wrote:Matchup not looking so good now. Ronnie needs to win another final against Selby otherwise it'll start to be one sided!

If anything they are more like Federer vs Djokovic.

Even the path they follow is quiet the same. Djokovic starting beating Federer at the slams consistenly in 2014-2015 and now you have Selby who won the last two major finals against Ronnie.

The two Masters final wins look indeed a little bit thinnish now with Selby having beaten him in one World, UK, Masters and Welsh Open final.

Wins in finals are definitely more special but in the end it's about the overall H2H. It's not in your hands whether you play your opponent in the quarters,semis or final.

And Ronnie is still leading that H2H and I think, this rivalry will end with Ronnie having a positive H2H over Selby. But I definitely agree that if they ever meet again in a final, Ronnie must win that match.

Although Selby leads the H-2-H when only ranking events are counted. (6-5)

PoolBoy wrote:Although Selby leads the H-2-H when only ranking events are counted. (6-5)

The Masters is as big as or even bigger than any ranking event with the exception of the World Championship so thats hardly an argument. And O'Sullivan is leading 3:1 there.

But I'd never deny and no one could that Selby, along with Higgins is the player who caused O'Sullivan by far the biggest trouble. Selby style of play definitely doesn't suit O'Sullivans and it's for everyone to see.

The only way O'Sullivan can win is to keep winning the frames in one visit. Like he did in the second session. Unluckily for him it was too late. 2:6 deficite was too much. The moment he gets dragged into any scrappy frame or worse, many scrappy frames, you know the writing is written on the wall.

Given that Selby has a match up advantage over O'Sullivan, O'Sullivan has actually done quite well in the H2H. In fact, he's one of the very few players who are leading Selby in the H2H.

The two Masters final wins look indeed a little bit thinnish now with Selby having beaten him in one World, UK, Masters and Welsh Open final.

Wins in finals are definitely more special but in the end it's about the overall H2H. It's not in your hands whether you play your opponent in the quarters,semis or final.

And Ronnie is still leading that H2H and I think, this rivalry will end with Ronnie having a positive H2H over Selby. But I definitely agree that if they ever meet again in a final, Ronnie must win that match.

True!

Overall H2H is fantastic (Ronnie has a great winning H2H against his rivals, I haven't seen a losing H2H against anyone relevant) but people tend to remembers the finals much more than wins in other rounds...just the way sport is

That's why I want another Ronnie/Selby final in the Masters to see how Ronnie would do against Selby otherwise a mental block will start forming...