UK Championship Day 9

Mark Selby scooped his first ever UK Championship after defeating Shaun Murphy 10-6 in the final on Sunday. The final was a closely-contested affair with Selby only pulling clear of the finishing line in the closing stages of the match to claim Snooker’s second most prestigious title and a cheque for £125,000.

Murphy took the first frame and was on-course to take the second until an unfortunate in-off which allowed Selby to snatch it. Selby then went 2-1 up but a break of 83 in frame four saw Murphy once again square the scores at the interval. Another high break from Murphy, a 98, saw him go 3-2 and he also won the sixth to go 4-2 ahead. However it was Selby who ended the session on top, winning the final two frames to go into the evening session finely poised at 4-4.

Murphy won the opening frame of the concluding session but Selby hit back by taking the next two to secure a 6-5 lead. But Sale’s Murphy won frame twelve as the match was once again levelled, in time for the next interval. Selby got the upper-hand in a safety battle to take frame thirteen and an excellent break of 98 in the next saw him go two in front. A major turning point in the match occurred in the next frame after Murphy missed the blue off its spot leading 50-1 which allowed Selby back in and he cleared up to go within a frame of victory. And that frame was not long in coming after two separate breaks in the next saw him secure the UK Championship.