Déjà vu win for Mark Selby

21:20:00 Ramona Dragomir 0 Comments


Mark Selby - the 2013 Masters champion
It's become almost a custom to write pieces about Mark Selby's victories and what a shock! Here's another one, this time about his magnificent performance of dethroning defending champion Neil Robertson of keeping his Masters crown for one more year.

The scoreline says it all, 10-6. It was a pretty one-sided final, played on a very calm note, no "Thunder" being heard although Robertson tried his best to overcome the deficient of being led 5-3, then 8-3.
Still, in the end, it was Mark Selby, the player who didn’t have the most brilliant performance throughout the tournament, but managed to channel all his energy on the most important game: the grand final.

Many of you remember the semi-final played against Graeme Dott and how painful it was to watch it, the Scottish player himself declaring after the match that Selby's game "bored him to death".

However, on Sunday a new player emerged, a good night sleep surely doing the trick and allowing the "Jester from Leicester" to laugh in front of all of those who didn't give him enough credit.

Neil Robertson didn't manage to defend his crown
With runs of 73, a brilliant 102 and an 84 we has launching into a journey that would bring him the third Masters title of his career. All this time, on the opposite corner, an out-of-sorts Robertson was trying to cope with the fact that he was out of his form for no apparent reason, although, unlike his opponent, he had one of the most exquisite performance during the entire competition.

The first session ended with Selby in change of the situation at 5-3, though the fact that the Australian capitalized the last of the remaining two frames was bringing hope for the session to come.

Still, the situation didn’t change much and just like that (aka. breaks of 67, 23, 24 and 41) Selby was moving two frames away from the victory line, at 8-3.

Not many would have dared to try a comeback, but Neil did. And he almost got it. Runs of 74, 83 and 26 were bringing the Aussie three frames in a row, and a bit of confidence for more.

However, it was a bit too late and Selby wasn't going to let all that hard work going to waste. The last two frames were scrappy affairs, but the Englishman grabbed the bull by its horns and ended the match at 10-6.

Selby and his lovely wife Vikki
An ecstatic audience, that’s actually been there supporting the players all week long, was up on its feet to congratulate the man who just entered an elite group of players who won the Masters title more than two times: Hendry, O'Sullivan, Hunter.

Getting his third Masters trophy (after the ones conquered in 2008 and 2010), an overwhelmed Selby got a huge hug and a big kiss from his wife Vikki, a presence that always puts a smile on everyone's face.

So, within a few weeks from winning the UK Championship and getting on board of the victory ship in Germany with the Munich Open, Selby does it again. Is this the start of a series of victories that wants to conclude with the World Championship fancy trophy being lifted at the Crucible in May?

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Selby strikes again and wins Munich Open

01:14:00 Ramona Dragomir 0 Comments

One very happy Selby taking photos with his brand new trophy
Mark Selby took the best possible start that a player could wish for by winning 4-3 over Graeme Dott in the final of the 2012 Munich Open (or EPTC 6 - for les connoisseurs).

It's been less than a month since the same 'Jester from Leicester' was proudly lifting that shiny (and my I add the best-looking trophy ever) in York, after beating Shaun Murphy 10-6 in order to win his first UK Championship.

And not that his current victory comes as a shock, since we all know he's back in business and got a bit of his long lost confidence back, but one can't overlook the fact that one victory after another, is quite an achievement.

Not such a happy Terrier, Dott had to settle with second place
I also feel oblige to add a few good words about his final opponent, for Graeme Dott has really managed to get some form going on. He won no less than four matches before reaching the grand final and played some pretty amazing snooker. Sadly for him though, in the end it just didn't happen.

It was with just a top break of 53 that Selby was breaking the ice and took the first frame, but Graeme’s response came right away as he drew level with runs of 35 and 27.

A scrappy affair put Selby back in charge, but this time Dotty was sure to make a difference and not only did he win the next frame (with a terrific break of 106 may I add), but also added one more, you know ... just for the sake of it, to make it 3-2.

The final touches to making the winning break
But Selby is a real shark when it comes to comebacks and this was the perfect opportunity to prove it. His opponent was one step away from winning the tournament, so all the pressure was there.

With a break of 72 Selby managed to force the decider, while a 90 was sending him straight on the podium with a fancy and shiny trophy in his hands.

Must be something with winning in Germany, for Selby's Munich Open is actually his third minor-ranking event title won here, after two consecutive Paul Hunter ones. 
Getting attached are we? Well no wonder, since the German crowds have always been receptive to snooker and this tournament has prove it once more.

So with such a great start, one can only wonder what’s next on Selby’s wish-list of winnings?

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