Selby’s in mood to rule world
MARK SELBY warmed up for his Betfred World Championship title defence in style by claiming a second China Open success.
The world No.1 beat Mark Williams 10-8 in Beijing last night to pocket the £85,000 first prize and chalk up an 11th ranking title victory.
Selby, 33, said: “I will go the World Championship full of confidence, and if I play well I have a good chance of retaining the title.
“But there are a lot of great players playing really well at the moment who could also win that title.
“This was a really good match, we both played well and it was just a few balls here and there.
“I don’t know how long I can stay at No.1, but it is what makes me work hard, play, and want to keep winning.”
It was agony for Williams, 42, who fell one win short of snatching the final automatic place at the Crucible in a fortnight.
Instead that goes to Ryan Day, while world No.22 Williams will be pitched into a brutal qualifying process – needing to win three games to earn a shot against one of the top 16.
But Leicester Jester Selby will head to Sheffield after taking the final three frames yesterday.
He rattled in breaks of 54, 100, 105, 50, 55, 95, 70, then 124 to edge 9-8 in front before wrapping up the win.
Selby, also the 2015 winner, has now won the China Open the last two times he has taken part – having withdrawn from last year’s tournament.
But two-time world champion Williams will have to wait to end his six-year title drought, having not tasted success in a final since the German Masters in 2011 against Selby.
Selby is the game’s dominant force – and now around £350,000 clear at the top of the prize money based world rankings.