Maguire ‘niggled’ he’s not matched Selby & Co

Stephen Maguire is angry with himself for failing to match snooker icons of the same generation like Mark Selby and Neil Robertson.

Selby has lifted the world crown four times and Robertson once, while 43-year-old Maguire has ‘only’ won six rankings titles in all.

But he’s into the Welsh Open last four after sinking Jack Lisowski, meaning a clash with Ali Carter.

Meanwhile, Selby beat Higgins 5-4 to book an appetising semi-final with Luca Brecel.

Former World No. 2 Maguire was asked why he hadn’t consistently been at the top.

He name-checked both legends as he told Eurosport: “It’s not jealousy, anybody who wins, I’m never devastated that they win.

“I probably broke through first, [compared] to your Selbys, Robertsons. It was me who broke through first and never pushed on.

“They went on to have much better careers than me. That’s my own fault. I don’t look at them. I blame me for that.

“That niggles me a bit, but I don’t blame them for it.”

Maguire did, however, also question if he was good enough – although he insisted he can keep this week’s momentum going.