In the Welsh Open quarter-finals the following year, he was handed a writ by a member of the audience, supposedly his former manager George Barmby. Selby commented that all he could think about was the envelope that had been given to him before he was defeated 3–5 by Anthony Hamilton. He reached the final of the Masters again where he was runner-up to O'Sullivan, losing the match 8–10 after leading 7–5, and also reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 World Championship, losing 12–13 to Higgins, who went on to win his third world title.