Mark Joyce exits as Selby seizes big opportunity
Mark Joyce believes the standard of elite level snooker is as competitive as it has ever been following his 19.com Scottish Open first round defeat to world number six Mark Selby.
The Walsall potter surrendered an initial 2-1 lead, letting the Jester from Leicester regain a foothold in the match with a fine break of 71 in the fifth frame.
But while the two-time world champion is a formidable customer, the world number 62 believes it doesn’t matter who you come up against in this day and age.
“I know I was playing a player like Mark, but there are that many good players on the tour now that you kind of just play the balls really,” the 36-year-old said. “Sometimes you can get as many chances playing Mark as you can against any other player, and I’ve been around the block enough now to play the game and not the player.
“I’m just glad I got a couple of frames on the board to make the score looks respectable to be honest.”
Cannock’s Riley Parsons also went down to a first round defeat at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena, losing a 4-3 thriller to China’s Lu Ning. Ning notched a majestic break of 119 in the fifth frame to extinguish the world number 121’s hopes, sending the Midlands pair back down south disappointed.
n Watch the Scottish Open live on Eurosport, Eurosport Player and Quest with studio analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White
