Joe O’Connor Channels His Hero Mark Selby Ahead of Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters .

Joe O’Connor Channels His Hero Mark Selby Ahead of Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters

 

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – As snooker’s elite gather at the 2025 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, one matchup is drawing particular attention: Joe O’Connor vs. Ronnie O’Sullivan, with O’Connor himself admitting he aims to channel the grit of his idol, four-time world champion Mark Selby, to challenge the legendary Rocket in Jeddah.

O’Connor, 29, will meet O’Sullivan in the fifth round on August 12, 2025, after a commanding 5‑0 win over Sanderson Lam in the fourth round—highlights included breaks of 97, 69, and 112.

Hailing from Leicester, O’Connor has long looked up to Selby—not merely as a hero but as an inspirational presence who has guided his journey. “I do look up to him,” he said. “I’ve been to a couple of the World Snooker Championship finals when he’s won it. Watching his success has constantly motivated me. Everyone talks about how much he practices, I’m trying to follow his path a bit.”

Just last year, O’Connor delivered one of the biggest shocks in World Championship history by defeating Selby 10‑6 in the first round at the Crucible. The victory marked a symbolic passing of the torch, as O’Connor remarked: “He’s inspired me to get to where I am today. Maybe you can look back in a few years’ time and think this was the moment.”

This blend of admiration and competitive fire fuels O’Connor’s determination as he prepares for his showdown with O’Connor. He sees Selby’s level-headed resilience and clinical composure under pressure as traits to emulate, hoping that harnessing these strengths will help him rise to the occasion.

For the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters itself, the stakes are exceptionally high. The tournament, staged at Jeddah’s Green Halls from 8 to 16 August 2025, is snooker’s richest after the World Championship—with a total prize fund of £2.302 million and a £500,000 winner’s cheque, matching that of the Crucible crown.

Meanwhile, O’Sullivan enters as a perennial favorite—yet still searching for his first ranking title of the 2025/26 season. Battling O’Connor, a rising star in fine form, adds intrigue and unpredictability to the match.

As O’Connor prepares to face the seven-time world champion in Saudi, his strategy is simple: channel the mastery of his mentor and carry forward the Leicester legacy on snooker’s biggest stages.