Mark Selby is one of the numerous players over 40 who are still winning big titles in snooker, but he feels there are new young stars starting to shine.
The world’s top 16 has been getting older in recent years, largely down to the enduring brilliance of the Class of 92: Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams.
All three legends of the baize are still in the upper echelons of the rankings at 50 years old, which was close to unthinkable in the not-too-distant past.
Selby is joined by the likes of Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson in winning tournaments this season despite being north of 40.
The strength of the older players has led to questions over why young guns haven’t knocked them off their perch yet.
The answer is that the veterans are sensationally good, but Selby feels there are some excellent talents on their way to take over on the table.
‘You’ve got people like Wu Yize (22), who’s a very, very good player,’ Selby told Metro of the recent International Championship winner.
‘The young Chinese boy who played Wakelin [Lan Yuhao (17), at the Northern Ireland Open], he looks impressive. I’ve not seen him play too many games but the games I have seen him play, he looks good.
‘It’s hard to judge because he’s still so young and he’s improving but I think he’ll have a good future.
‘Stan Moody (19) is playing great. Liam Pullen (20) is playing good again this year. They’re both young guys.
‘The Welsh boy, Liam Davies (19), there’s no reason why he can’t come through. Liam’s got a great role model in somebody like Mark [Williams], you can’t have anyone better than him in his corner.
‘What Stan’s done this year and now Liam, who beat Higgins in one of the comps, it’s good that we’ve got a few UK boys coming through.
‘We got left behind for a little while with the young Chinese lads coming through so it’s nice that we’ve got Stan, Liam and Liam coming through.
‘Jackson [Page] as well! I forget about Jackson (24) because he’s been around for years. He had a beard when he was born!’
Another brilliant prospect is the youngest ever professional, Poland’s 14-year-old cueist Michal Szubarczyk, who has already picked up seven wins on the main tour this season.
Selby has practiced with another young Pole and heard good things about the teenager who has been talked up by Mark Williams.
‘I’ve not seen too much of him but I had a practice with Antoni Kowalski a few weeks ago and I was speaking to him about the young lad from Poland and he said he’s very good,’ said the four-time world champion.
‘He’s only young, I just hope he doesn’t put too much pressure on himself, he just enjoys it and can just play freely and enjoy it.
‘It would be great for the game if somebody like him comes through. As well as some of the other young boys from Europe: [Hungary’s Bulcsu] Revesz, Kowalski. It’s great that it’s not just UK and China.’
