Mark Selby Open, losing 1–4. Selby won his first ranking title of the 2017/18 season by retaining the International Championship after surviving a fightback from Mark Allen, who trailed 3–8 and 7–9 in the final but the Englishman prevailed 10–7. As 2017 World Snooker Champion, Selby automatically qualified for the 2017 Champion of Champions. However, he lost in the quarter-finals to Luca Brecel by a scoreline of 4–6. At the 2017 Shanghai Masters, Selby crashed out to 2011 finalist Mark Williams in the quarter-finals 3–5. Selby's reign as the UK champion came to an end with a 3–6 defeat to Scott Donaldson
Mark Selby of the bookmakers' favourites for the title, Selby was defeated 10–8 in the first round by Mark King. The following year in the Welsh Open quarter-final, he was handed a writ by a member of the audience, supposedly his former manager George Barmby. Selby reached the final of the Masters again where he was runner-up to Ronnie O'Sullivan, and also reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 World Championship, losing 12–13 to Higgins, who again went on to win the title. He opened the 2009/10 season with two first round defeats, before coming from 4–8 down to beat Jamie Cope 9–8