Mark Selby opens up on wife’s cancer battle – ‘I was completely blown apart’

Mark Selby has opened up on a “tough” time away from the snooker table as he continues to struggle with mental health problems while his wife, Vikki, battles cancer.

However, Selby has had to deal with more pain away from snooker following the death of a close friend who recently passed away due to the same illness.

The four-time World Champion said he “just wanted to pull out” of the World Grand Prix in January when he found out that his friend had died.

“We had some bad news just over a week ago. One of my best mates, Dave, his wife sadly passed away with cancer at 44. She’s got a little girl who’s 12. She’s best mate to Vikki, so it’s been quite tough the last two weeks.

“I was playing here [Leicester] in the Grand Prix but basically just wanted to pull out of the tournament, but her husband said that she wouldn’t have wanted you to do that so carry on playing, but it’s been tough.”

Selby first opened up on his struggles with mental health publicly in January 2022.

The 40-year-old explained that his wife is doing well in her battle against the disease but it has taken its toll on him mentally.

“She’s been stronger than me throughout it, for sure,” Selby revealed. “When it was first announced I was completely blown apart. Obviously with how my mental health was before anyway, that multiplied it.

“She’s been the one supporting me. It should be the other way round, but people say that, it always seems to be the person going through it that’s the strongest.”

On his mental health, Selby added: “I’m always going to get lapses. When I was working with the doctor, who’s helped me no end, he said it will never go away, you will get moments when it comes back, it’s just about dealing with them.

“I know how to deal with them better now. I used to switch myself off, lock myself away and not do anything. I thought that was the right thing, but I actually needed to do the opposite.

“When I have down days I need to get myself out, go for a run, get myself motivated, but I was locking myself away. I deal with it a lot better now. I’m trying. Trying to play has been hard, I was [thinking] about taking a break, but then I’d just sit at home thinking about everything, which is no good for myself.

“She’d prefer me out the house anyway, she’d say that herself. I’ve tried to be as supportive as possible, that’s all you can do. Obviously we’ve been supportive for our friends as well, and now Nina’s sadly passed away we’re being there for Dave. It is tough but it makes you realise snooker is only a game.

“Playing does help because it gives me a purpose as well, I’m doing it for Vikki and [his daughter] Sofia as well, to put food on the table, so I’ve got a drive to keep going for them.”

Selby narrowly missed out on a fifth World Championship title when he was beaten 18-15 by Luca Brecel in May’s final.

Despite the difficult times Selby was having to endure away from the sport, he even managed a spectacular 147 at the crucible.

He admitted that the circumstances surrounding his family at the time helped him reach the final in Sheffield because he was playing “without a care in the world”.

“Vikki was going through radiotherapy while I was playing in the Worlds so in a way it did take my focus off the tournament,” he said.

“I was playing and thinking, ‘If I get beat, so what?’ I said to Vikki that I wanted to be with her going through the radiotherapy but she was saying, ‘Look it’s only 20 minutes every day.’ But I wanted to be there to support her, going through it.

“She wanted me to play and I carried on playing. It takes the pressure off a bit, because you’re playing without a care in the world on the table, then there you are in the final.”