We’re quickly running out of superlatives to describe the outstanding Mark Selby.
The world number one’s capture of the International Championship proved once again that he is the best player out there by quite some distant – an unstoppable winning machine like the sport’s most decorated player Stephen Hendry.
His 10-7 win over Mark Allen makes it back-to-back wins in China’s most lucrative ranking event and means he remains the holder of the game’s three most prestigious titles.
Selby is also the defending UK champion and current world champion having won at The Crucible in three of the past four years.
His dominance strikes great similarities to Hendry’s era of superiority in the 1990s in the fact that there’s an air of inevitability about him lifting the trophy as soon as the biggest events begin.
He is a relentless winner and is never satisfied with what he has achieved – he always wants more and never tires of proving he is the best player on the planet.
Selby is creating a dynasty. He is so far ahead at the top of the world rankings that he has more than double the prize money on the board than his nearest rival Ding Junhui – and this gives him a deserved position of untouchability for his consistent excellence.
The next big target for Selby will be the defence of his UK title in December. It would take a brave man to bet against him retaining the silverware and doing the same at the World Championship in May too.
You can dissect his game until your heart is content but his unrivalled strength is his powerful winning mentality. It is this imperative ingredient which leads to the comparisons to Hendry.
To be considered in the same debate as Hendry as the best ever, he must continue this dominance for a few more years yet and with it get much closer to the Scot’s 36 ranking titles and seven world titles, but his hunger to do so shows no sign of waning.