Slamming Selby
ALEX THOMSON sliced more miles out of Vendee Globe leader Armel Le Cleac’h yesterday but revealed his hopes of victory were fading after the failure of his wind instruments.
The Hugo Boss skipper was 30 miles behind his rival as they turned for the French port of Les Sables d’Olonne.
That could be enough for Frenchman Le Cleac’h to hold off the Briton on the 300-mile run to the finish. “My options have run out. It might be possible to catch a few miles but it’s difficult,” said Thomson. “Until I can get my autopilot driving on a wind angle it will be very tricky.” MARK SELBY is still on for the Grand Slam after leaving Mark Williams feeling blue at Alexandra Palace last night.
World No1 Selby, 33, is looking to add a fourth Masters crown this week to the world and UK titles he currently holds. Only Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Williams and John Higgins have held all three Major titles at the same time.
But Selby enjoyed some luck in his thrilling 6-5 victory, seeing Williams suffer a cruel kick on the blue when set in the decider before pulling out a gutsy clearance of 89.
“I was sitting there with Mark about to clear up thinking, ‘There goes my Slam’, but it’s still on,” he said. “Mark looked really good and if it had not been for the kick on the blue I don’t think he would have missed out.
“His misfortune was my chance.
“This is a tough enough tournament to win by itself but the Slam was on my mind a bit. And if I do it, that would be my greatest achievement.” 2. Who scored his sixth goal of the campaign in the 2-1 win over Bruges that saw Leicester through to the knockout stage of the Champions League?