Mark Selby vs Sijun Yuan Prediction: Selby to make it to the next round

Mark Selby and Sijun Yuan are set to face off at Cymru, Llandudno, in the Welsh Open. Mark Selby is considered the favorite heading into this matchup, while Sijun Yuan is regarded as the underdog.

Mark Selby enters this match as the favorite, and the Englishman carries confidence in securing a victory. In his recent performances, Selby has excelled by winning five out of six matches. The solitary defeat occurred in a 1-3 encounter against Kyren Wilson. Notably, Selby has triumphed in matches against Neil Robertson, Gary Wilson, Guodong Xiao, and John Higgins, showcasing his strong form leading up to this contest.

Sijun Yuan enters this match as the underdog, and the Chinese player aims for an improved performance. In his recent match, he faced Jiahui Si but suffered a 3-5 defeat. It's noteworthy that before this loss, Yuan had secured three consecutive victories, overcoming Alexander Ursenvacher, Aaron Hill, and Andrew Pagett. As he looks to progress to the next round, Sijun Yuan will need to deliver a top-notch performance and secure a win in this encounter.

The match appears to be in favor of Mark Selby, considering his impressive level of play and experience. With this confidence, it seems likely that Sijun Yuan may struggle to cover the spread, making it a potential comfortable win for Mark Selby.