MATTHEW SELT apologised on live TV to Jimmy Robertson after their clash at the World Championships.
The Romford cueman beat his Bexhill rival 10-9 after pulling off a remarkable comeback to qualify for The Crucible.
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Selt, 40, had fallen 8-3 and 9-6 behind before snatching a 10-9 victory on the black.
Robertson could have won the tie if he had potted the pink but a mis proved costly as Selt cleared the final two balls.
The win sees him become the final player to qualify for the World Championship in what will be his 5th appearance.
However, after the match he revealed that Robertson told him that he was “distracting” him during the game.
He told TNT Sports: “You know I have to apologise and say sorry to Jimmy.
“After one of the frames I won, he told me I was distracting and putting him off.
“So this win, there is no good feeling towards it.
“Ultimately for Jimmy, is and was one of my closest friends, so for him to feel so strongly, to pull me to one side and say something as we were both walking to toliet, you know I feel absolutely dreadful.
“I’m gutted for him that he didn’t win. I’ll be happy tomorrow that I have won but I just want to apologise.
“Everyone knows that I not so much wear my heart on my sleeve, but you know do a lot of commenting when I’m playing.
“But he felt strongly enough to say something so I would have definitely been in the wrong.
“So apologies to Jimmy.”
Selt was able to speak about his performance and the manner in which he was capable of coming from behind to win.
He added: “Great achievement to come back from 8-3 down, you know.”
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins