Current World No. 1 Mark Selby of England has pulled out from the upcoming Ladbrokes Players Championship next week as well as the China Open later this month, World Snooker announced on Friday.

According to Xinhua, Selby is pulling out of both competitions for "personal reasons."

Like Us on Facebook

The Players Championship will be held at the Event City in Manchester from March 22 to 27. Selby was due to face compatriot Andrew Higginson, who is currently ranked No. 55 in the world, in his opening match on Wednesday at 7pm.

Selby will be replaced by the 31-year-old Matthew Selt, who currently holds the world No. 22 ranking. Selt was the highest next placed cueman on the European Tour Order of Merit and as well as the combined list.

Selby, who is the defending champion of the Beijing-based professional snooker tournament after defeating fellow Englishman Gary Wilson last year, was due to face the 19-year-old Darryl Hill in the first round of the ranking event on the 28^th of March.

The China Open will be staged at the Beijing University Students' Gymnasium in Haidian District, Bejing from March 28 to April 3. It is the last ranking event of the season and it will be followed by the World Championship will begin on 16^th of April in Sheffield.

Selby, 32, has already won three Masters titles in the years 2008, 2010 and 2013. He also has the 2012 UK Championship and 2014 World Championship under his belt.

"The Jester from Leicester" (Selby's nickname in the sport of snooker) became the ninth player to win all of snooker's Triple Crown events at least once. 

 Selby ruled the 2008 Welsh Open, 2011 Shanghai Masters, 2015 German Masters and the 2015 China Open.

TagsMark Selby, China Open, world snooker, Players Championship, matthew selt