WORLD number one Mark Selby said his first win as a dad was a “special feeling” as he whitewashed Oliver Brown 6-0 in the Coral UK Championship at York Barbican.

The 2012 champion in the Minster city, and finalist last year, didn’t need to be at his very best to see off the 20-year-old amateur but finished with a break of 124 to start another run in snooker’s second biggest tournament.

Brown looked visibly nervous and managed a top break of just 20 as he struggled in front of a big crowd in the main arena.

Selby admitted his opponent’s play meant it was difficult for him to focus and, having become a father for the first time two weeks previously after wife Vikki gave birth to daughter Sofia, admitted he was distracted.

“It wasn’t the greatest of matches,” he said. “You could tell that Oliver was very nervous out there. He’s going to be. It was a big occasion for him - a decent crowd.

“It was difficult for him and because he kept missing shots you expect him to pot and giving me chances I felt as though my focus wasn’t as good as it should be because he wasn’t putting me under that much pressure.

“It was nice to finish off with a century at the end.”

Selby added: “It was difficult out there, with everything going on and only two weeks ago having a daughter. Everything was in the back of my mind when I was out there playing thinking ‘is she all okay’. It’s all a new experience for me as well.

“Coming to a tournament as big as the UK and, being a father for the first time, is a special feeling. Hopefully, I can have a good run and get to the latter part of the tournament.

Ricky Walden was pegged back to 2-2 with Steve Davis at the mid-session interval before hitting breaks of 100 and 98 as he powered on to a 6-2 victory over the six-time champion.

The International Champion is now targeting his first Triple Crown event and said: “It’s a big tournament for me to come into. All the top lads are looking to win it and I am no different.

“Hopefully, I can keep progressing and get another one (ranking event).”

Newspaper reports before the match suggested the Nugget might be considering retirement and, while he confessed he was not really thinking of himself as a “snooker player” anymore, he was “not going to stop”.

"I might try and muster up some enthusiasm for the world championship but, even so, I know what's going to happen. I'll get there and think 'Oh, I am not too sure’,” Davis said.

"But I am not going to stop. Mentally, I have already retired. But my body is still turning up at events.

"My brain is at home with my record collection or going to a concert. I have sent my body up here.

He added: ”I don't really see the point of retiring in the same way as Stephen (Hendry) did. I think I am just going to eventually, a bit like a firework, just sort of peter out.

"I can't stop but the competitive side, I am not the right animal anymore. I am just sort of turning up. I know that's wrong but I can't help it.

"What happened was they send the entry forms through and I just signed it. I shouldn't have signed it but I did. I couldn't help it.

"It's going to be the longest retirement in history."