Mark Selby says he is excited about playing in the Netherlands as snooker prepares for its first major event in the country for more than 20 years.
The Rotterdam Open takes place between Thursday and Sunday and will give the world number two the perfect opportunity to try and close the gap on Neil Robertson as he looks to reclaim his place at the top of the standings.
However, injury and fatigue could play a part in the outcome of the tournament, with the 30-year-old only returning from the Australian Goldfields Open on Monday and he has since noticed that one of his fingers is swollen, preventing him from holding the cue properly.
The ‘Jester from Leicester’ will have time to recover though, with his first match not scheduled until Saturday where he is due to face Scott Donaldson.
Having never played in the Netherlands before, Selby is looking forward to the experience and following his good showing Down Under, is confident he can continue his momentum at the Topsport Centrum.
“Snooker has become really popular in Europe in recent years and it will be interesting to go to The Netherlands for the first time and see what the support is like there,” Selby told World Snooker. “I have got a bit of momentum now and hopefully I can keep it going.
“I nearly went out in the first round in Australia as I was 3-0 down to Ian Burns but I managed to win that game and after that I played well. It would be nice to get the number one ranking back from Neil.”
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