Mark Selby threatens to quit snooker unless his game improves at the World Championship

A day after John Higgins hinted he could be heading for retirement, the four-time world champion was beaten 10-8 by Gary Wilson in the first round and the forthcoming Crucible campaign could also be his last.

Selby said: "From start to finish I was pathetic, I didn’t deserve to win. I tried and battled but it was terrible. If I carry on playing like that, that will be it for me, for sure.

"I felt flat, it’s a big tournament and if you can’t get yourself up for events like this there’s something wrong. I have always said that if I get to the point where I am not enjoying it, it doesn’t matter whether you are number one in the world or number 128, I won’t carry on playing.

"I am still putting the work in, but if you practise for performances like that it seems pointless. If I put in the same performance in Sheffield, that will be me done."

An all-time great

The Leicester cueman began his career in 1999 but had to wait until the 2008 Welsh Open to win his first of 22 ranking titles against Ronnie O'Sullivan - a year of finishing runner-up to John Higgins at the Crucible.

Selby would go on to win his next four World Championship finals (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021) but lost his most recent last year against Luca Brecel despite making history with a 147 break.

The world number five has also won the UK Championship twice (2012 & 2016) as well as three Masters crowns to take his Triple Crown tally to nine, which is joint fourth alongside John Higgins but behind O'Sullivan (23), Stephen Hendry (18) and Steve Davis (15).

Only O'Sullivan, Higgins, Judd Trump and Neil Robertson have compiled more than his 820 centuries while he's also managed five maximums during his glittering career.