Snooker star smacks ball in anger and concedes frame in unusual outburst.

Snooker star smacks ball in anger and concedes frame in unusual outburst.

 

In an unexpected and highly charged moment at the World Snooker Championship 2025 at the famous The Crucible Theatre, veteran cueist Mark Selby stunned the crowd when he physically flung a ball across the table and abruptly conceded a frame – behaviour rarely seen at the highest level of professional snooker.

Selby, one of the sport’s most renowned operators and usually a model of calm, was visibly under strain in his opening-round clash with former practice partner Ben Woollaston. According to reports, in the 13th frame – after some six hours of play – Selby mis-played a shot on the yellow ball and realised his position was slipping. The commentary team described how he picked up the yellow ball and threw it across the table, before walking off for the interval.

The unusual concession was flagged immediately by commentators, with Ronnie O’Sullivan noting: “You don’t normally see that with Selby.” Indeed, the 42-year-old had appeared composed for much of the contest, but in that moment his composure cracked.

What made the incident particularly striking was that the frame was still mathematically alive: there were still sufficient points on the table that a comeback remained possible. Conceding under such circumstances runs against the professional norms in snooker. The visible outburst and immediate concession has sparked debate about pressure, temperament and the psychological toll of cameo appearances at the sport’s marquee event.

Selby’s reaction quickly went viral among snooker followers. On r/snooker a fan wrote:

> “Anyone just watch his match … He proper threw his dummy out.”

And yet, the broader context gives the incident more nuance. Selby had spoken ahead of the event about “needing to renew work on everything” and admitted he felt some technical uncertainty, which commentators suggested may have contributed to his frustration. In post-frame commentary, O’Sullivan speculated that Selby might also be dealing with a new cue tip and the unsettling confidence issues that brings.

For Selby this will be a moment to reflect on. His career is packed with comebacks, tactical mastery and steely nerves. To visibly lose his cool in this fashion is rare. The snooker world will recall his tactical brilliance, but this episode will be referenced too — as a reminder that even the very best can succumb to the pressure cooker of a Crucible match.

From a rules and etiquette standpoint, such a concession is eyebrow-raising. Other players have in the past banged cues or left frames early, but few have tossed a ball and walked off mid-frame when the points were still in play. A precedent exists: we’ve seen similar behaviour, such as Judd Trump smashing balls and conceding early in 2017 when still mathematically in the frame.

What happens next? The event continues, but all eyes will be on Selby’s ability to reset mentally. Observers will be watching whether he can recover his hallmark discipline and regain momentum – or whether this lapse signals a deeper fissure in his game this season. For now, the outburst remains a stark illustration of how fine the line is between composed professionalism and emotional eruption under duress.