Ambitious Selby is a "breath of fresh air"

Mark Selby is one of  the best pressure players in a generation.

The Leicester man has a knack of producing his very finest snooker when his back is against the wall. And he's not one to shy away from a challenge.

In an era where professional sportsmen are renowned for playing down their chances, complimenting their opponents, and saying 'it could go either way' or 'I'm just concentrating on my game', Selby has done the exact opposite in the build-up to January's Masters.

And it's this kind of media honesty that I admire.

Selby has a quite remarkable remarkable record at Wembley.

In his last 12 matches, he's won 11, winning the tournament twice and finishing runner-up twice.

If he lifts the trophy again in 2011, he'll equal the great Paul Hunter's record of three Masters titles in four years. Rather than play down his chances, he's talking them up. He admits he's eyeing up the record. He believes he can do it, and knowing his own ability to play under pressure, maybe by declaring his target, he hopes it will trigger championship-winning form.

But I must say it really is really a breath of fresh air to hear a player speak so positively, and not shy away from revealing his lofty aims.

Good on ya Selby!