Mark Selby beats Ronnie O’Sullivan to be crowned UK snooker champion after thrilling 10-7 victory
World No 1 beat Rocket as heavyweight pair traded FIVE century breaks in final six frames
MARK SELBY proved to Ronnie O’Sullivan he is snooker’s top dog with victory in a thrilling UK Championship final.
The world No 1 beat the Rocket 10-7 to claim a second UK crown at York’s Barbican Centre.
It denied O’Sullivan a record-equalling sixth UK win and also put world champion Selby in an elite club.
He is the first man since O’Sullivan 15 years ago to win the world and UK titles in the same year, also joining Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, John Parrott and John Higgins.
A breathtaking battle saw the players trade century breaks like a pair of heavyweight boxers slugging it out — including FIVE in the last six frames.
Selby, 33, said: “It was one of the best finals I’ve been in — it is always an extra buzz playing Ronnie and makes you want to play well.
“In my eyes Ronnie and Stephen Hendry are still the greatest players to have played the game but I have now beaten Ronnie in the UK, world and Masters finals. That can’t be a fluke. With everything I’ve won I now have to start setting my goals differently, and winning this again was one of them.”
After pocketing another £170,000 Selby is streaking clear at the top of the prize money-based world rankings.
The Leicester Jester has now earned almost £1million in a two-year rolling period, nearly double his nearest rival Stuart Bingham.
This was his tenth ranking title success — a fourth of 2016 and third just this season.
RELATED STORIES
And Selby has now inflicted serious wounds on the Rocket in four major finals — in York last night, at the Crucible, the Masters and the Welsh Open.
O’Sullivan, 41 today, said: “Mark has been the best player all week.
“The scoring was good but I missed too many easy ones at times and you can’t afford to do that or will get annihilated.
“I did all right considering he is world No 1 and so far ahead of everyone else.”