Selby’s bid for hat-trick of titles comes to end
REIGNING champion Mark Selby’s two-year unbeaten run in the Scottish Open was ended by Anthony McGill in Llandudno. Leicester’s world no.1, left, was bidding for a third consecutive title but was beaten 4-3 by the Scotsman in their last 16 match. McGill raced into a 3-0 lead but Selby typically battled back with two centuries before forcing a decider. But Selby could not complete the comeback, however, with McGill holding his nerve to advance to the quarterfinals. World No 16 McGill hit 51 to win the opening frame, and it was then 2-0 when he edged the next one 60-55.
A 64 from Selby was bettered by McGill’s 75 in the third, and the reigning world champion had it all to do in his bid to reach the last eight.
McGill went 30-0 up in the fourth frame, but Selby hit back with a 105 and then compiled 116 for a second successive century.
A 79 break took the match to the final frame, but Selby’s momentum ended there.
After he left a red hanging over the pocket, McGill seized his opportunity to send Selby packing.
It was a somewhat bizarre end, though.
Selby had attempted to concede the match before McGill insisted on sinking the red and then shaking hands, given his lead was only 41 with 43 points on the table before the pot. Meanwhile, world no.2 Judd Trump was also knocked out 4-3 by Derby’s Dave Gilbert.
Gilbert had surged into a 3-0 advantage before Trump produced a stirring comeback to level proceedings and take the match to a deciding frame.
However, Gilbert held his nerve in the final frame to reach the quarterfinals.
“I’m a very lucky boy. I was three up and playing well but I thought I’d thrown the match away,” Gilbert told Eurosport.
“How I’ve ended up winning that match is ridiculous.”
Meanwhile, ninth seed Stephen Maguire saw off Leicester’s Ben Woollaston 4-1 to reach the last eight.