#10: Daryl Selby
SELBY ADOPTING RELAXED APPROACH TO NATIONALS
 Daryl
Selby is approaching this week’s National Championship in
the same way as he did the 2011 tournament – in the hope that it
brings the same result.
Three years ago the 3/4 seed from Essex was seeded third, yet he
went on to win the title after beating Nick Matthew 3/2 in a
great final, having twice come from behind.
 “When
I won in 2011, I went in with little expectations, so I will do
the same this year – relax, play some attacking squash and see
what happens,” he said.
The 31-year-old describes his recent form as “pretty good”, with
victory in the Edinburgh Open sandwiched between quarter-final
places at the Tournament of Champions and Swedish Open.
“My last event in Sweden didn’t go as well as I hoped, but I
came up against some guys that were right on the top of their
game,” he said.
Selby feels he needs to hit the ground running in Manchester,
even though he is only facing a qualifier in his opening match.
“The strength in depth in the British Nationals is always
unbelievable, so I’m expecting a tough match from the first
round,” he explained.
 “I’m
seeded to play Tom Richards in the quarters and he beat me in
that round last year, so I hope if we both get that far to try
and turn that one around!”
The world number 10 labelled Matthew and James Willstrop, the
top two seeds, as the favourites, but pointed out: "
There are a lot of younger players improving all the time who
are capable of big upsets. It should be a good week of squash in
Manchester and I can’t wait to get started.
“The Nationals has always been a very important event for me.
To be National Champion in 2011 was an incredibly proud moment
for me and to try and have that feeling again provides great
motivation.”
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