Mark Selby one match due to jetlag. Selby reached the final qualifying round of the World Snooker Championship in 2002 and 2003, losing both times. Early in the 2005/06 season he began to be managed by former snooker professional and fellow Leicester resident Mukesh Parmar, and reached the final stages of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre for the first time. Selby went out in the first round, losing to John Higgins, but has qualified for the final stages every year since, including in 2006 despite a 147 from his final qualifying round opponent Robert Milkins. In that tournament, Selby
Mark Selby 3–5 first round defeat to Jamie Burnett in the Australian Goldfields Open. Selby lost his world number one spot to Judd Trump after the latter's victory in the inaugural International Championship in China. However, just five weeks later, Selby won his third ranking title and largest of his career, the UK Championship, to regain the top spot. He defeated Michael White 6–3, Ryan Day 6–4 from 3–0 down, and Neil Robertson 6–4 from 4–0 down to reach the semi-finals, where he beat Mark Davis 9–4 to progress to the final. Already assured of overtaking Trump regardless of the result, Selby