Snooker star who advised ref to close up and threw strop ‘backtracks on apology’

Matt Selt has backtracked on his apology to Artemijs Zizins after telling referee Marcel Eckardt to “shut up” and storming out of his German Masters qualifier

Snooker ace Matt Selt has had a change of heart after his outburst at the German Masters qualifiers where he lost to young gun Artemijs Zizins in a shock defeat.

The 18 year old Latvian, Zizins, managed to pocket a fluke match ball, sending it into an unintended corner and securing his spot in the main event. Selt couldn’t hide his dismay, exclaiming “Oh my god!” and shaking his head while seated.

Even as the referee tried to ease the tension, Selt was overheard grumbling and told the ref to “Shut up! ” as he left. Later, Selt reached out to Zizins with a text, apologising for his behaviour and wishing him luck for the next round at Berlin’s Tempodrom.

Speaking to the Metro, Selt reflected: “It didn’t occur to me at the time but I have realised that he’s a young professional, probably looking up to a senior player, not in terms of what I’ve done in the game, but just as an older player.”

He added: “I shouldn’t have made that outburst. It is raw emotion of live sport. It wasn’t malicious or derogatory. I said ‘well played’ and ‘good luck’ after the game. The game was played in great spirits.”

“I reached out to him after and said: ‘I’m sorry about yesterday, I hope the outburst didn’t upset you, it wasn’t meant like that and good luck in Berlin’. He messaged back and apology accepted.’

“But as a senior player there’s no way I should have acted like that. He’s a lovely lad and he’s a very, very good player, potted some silly good balls in that match. 100 per cent I regret doing it, and especially in front of someone so young and new to the game.”

However, Selt has since appeared in a new video on snooker legend Stephen Hendry’s YouTube channel, where he has played down the outbursts and insists that he did little wrong – a far cry from his earlier apology, reports the Express.

“It is what it is,” Selt said, while chuckling with a big grin on his face. “The kid fluked match ball, he played great and I let the emotion out.

“Once he had potted the ball I couldn’t win so it was not a case of doing something that would have distracted him or put him off, the match was over and it was just a natural reaction.

“I didn’t put the kid off so I don’t see what the problem is really, well there’s no problem at all for me.”