Mark Selby vs Sijun Yuan Prediction: Selby will take charge

Snooker's top players are on a continuous run as they converge at the Morningside Arena in Leicester for the World Grand Prix. In the first-round clash of day one, Mark Selby will face off against Sijun Yuan in the 1/16 action. Selby is considered the favorite in this matchup, but the question remains: what will be the outcome of this encounter?

Mark Selby will be seeking a turnaround in this match after experiencing a loss to Mark Allen in the quarterfinals of The Masters, where he fell 5-6. Additionally, Selby faced a defeat in the playoff final against Chris Wakelin, losing 2-3. Despite these setbacks, in his last five matches, Mark Selby did secure victories against Wakelin, Ali Carter, and Robert Milkins. In the upcoming contest, the Englishman will be optimistic about achieving positive results.

Sijun Yuan halted a three-match losing streak with a 5-2 triumph over Junhi Ding in the German Masters Qualification match. His recent defeats came at the hands of Sam Craige in the Scottish Open, Liam Pullen in Snooker Shoot-Out, and Luca Brecel in the UK Championship. Heading into the upcoming match, Sijun Yuan is considered the underdog. Despite this, he will be aiming to turn his fortunes around, hoping to secure another victory in this contest.

Having faced each other four times, with one victory for Sijun Yuan and three for Selby, the latter entering as the favorite is a clear indication of the anticipated outcome. Despite expectations of a closely contested match, the playing level demonstrated by Sijun Yuan is likely to influence the result. Consequently, it is anticipated that Mark Selby will emerge victorious in this encounter, with the points total expected to conclude 'under'.