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A rejuvenated Rocket has been in brilliant form this season – winning three ranking titles and reaching two further finals.
But five-time world champion O’Sullivan, 42, has dropped hints he could swerve the Crucible Theatre this year in favour of making a new TV show.
O’Sullivan’s recent American Hustle programme about pool in the USA was a hit and a planned follow-up in Australia could clash with snooker’s blue-riband tournament.
Selby and world No.2 O’Sullivan, with 10 titles between them, are among the favourites at this week’s prestigious Masters event at Alexandra Palace.
Top 10 snooker career prize money earnings
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“So when he says he might give it a miss or go and film a TV series instead… That is just Ronnie’s style. It is almost to motivate himself a bit!”
Mark Selby on Ronnie O'Sullivan
Defending Masters champion O’Sullivan is going for a hat-trick of successes this year, and a record eighth title in all.
And reigning and three-time world champion Selby, 34, is sure the pair will both also be in the line-up in the World Championship in April.
He said: “Ronnie will be there. With what he has achieved this season and how well he has played, he will want to try and win more titles and get another world title.
“The way he has been playing he is more than capable of doing it and pulling it off. I honestly think if he stays focused that Hendry record of seven is within reach.
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“It seems to me he definitely has another two world titles in him somewhere. He keeps himself fit, which helps both during the season and at the worlds itself, and is playing as well as ever.
“So when he says he might give it a miss or go and film a TV series instead… That is just Ronnie’s style. It is almost to motivate himself a bit!
“I am sure he will be at the Crucible, and not only that he will be the man to beat there.
“There may be players out there who hope he sticks to his word and does give it a swerve, but I am not one of them.
“I want him there and in the field. When I won my first world title, the fact it was Ronnie I beat in the final made it even more special. He was my perfect opponent, I wanted to beat the best.
“You work hard to play the best on the biggest stages and test yourself against them. If he knocks me out so be it, but I’d rather he was in it.”
O’Sullivan plays Hong Kong’s Marco Fu in his opening Masters match on Tuesday while Selby takes on Mark Williams in Sunday's curtain-raiser.