Controversial snooker star left 'feeling numb' after rival made formal complaint (2025)

Matt Selt's qualification for the main draw of the World Snooker Championship came in controversial circumstances as he won a deciding frame against Jimmy Robertson

Snooker star Matt Selt has admitted to feeling "pretty numb" despite beating Jimmy Robertson to qualify for the 2025 World Championship. Speaking after his 10-9 victory, Selt opened up on accustations from opponent Robertson that he was attempting to distract him.

Selt's win saw him qualify for the Crucible for a fifth time, though he suffered first-round exits on the previous four occasions. After securing the win, though, he didn't feel ready to celebrate.

"My emotions are pretty numb, to be honest,’ Selt told WST. "Jimmy pulled me to one side after one of the frames and had a word.

"He said: 'What are you doing? You’re basically putting me off.' Which I obviously wasn’t trying to do, but obviously got to him. I feel genuinely gutted, to be honest. I’m happy to win but not to the point where my actions may have contributed towards his declining performance.

"That’s sport, I suppose. I wasn’t doing anything completely out of order. But my feeling is pretty flatline and I just want to send my apologies to Jimmy."

It wasn't the first time Selt has courted controversy. He was handed a £21,000 fine in February in relation to "aggressive and rude" behaviour at the Saudi Masters, and issued an apology for his actions.

Selt's narrow win over Robertson was one of a number of close-run games in the final round of qualifiers. Former World Championship finalist Matthew Stevens found himself on the wrong end of a 10-9 defeat against Wu Yize, while Daniel Wells, David Gilbert and Lei Peifan - who will face reigning champion Kyren Wilson in the first round proper - also winning deciding frames in their matches.

The full draw has now been completed, with Selt beginning his campaign proper against Xiao Guodong. The winner will face either John Higgins or Joe O'Connor in the round of 16.

Ahead of the draw, much of the conversation surrounded seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan and wheher he would take part. He pledged to leave it until the last minute to make the decision, but is in the draw and will get underway against Ali Carter with the game beginning on April 22.

O'Sullivan was drawn against Carter without having publicly confirmed he would take part at the Crucible. However, the match-up allows the pair to resume a ferce rivalry.

O'Sullivan beat Carter in the final of the tournament in both 2008 and 2012, and the pair have since been locked in wars of words. However, The Rocket admitted this year that he regrets his 2024 rant about Carter.

“If I feel like I’ve got to say something I’ll say it," O'Sullivan said in January."It’s nothing personal, just heat of the moment stuff. He’s entitled to say what he’s got to say, like I am.

“Do I regret saying it? Probably. I wish I’d kept my mouth shut and been a bit more polished with my answers, a bit more diplomatic. But I’ve said what I’ve said and that’s fine. It’s only words innit?"