“MARK SELBY beat Kyren Wilson to win the Championship League in front of his home fans in Leicester! Judd Trump won all six matches – including a 3-0 whitewash of Kyren Wilson – to confirm his spot in the semi-finals, but then fell to in-form Wilson in the final four. The winner of the competition”, — write: www.thesun.co.uk
Judd Trump won all six matches – including a 3-0 whitewash of Kyren Wilson – to confirm his spot in the semi-finals, but then fell to in-form Wilson in the final four.
The winner of the competition will be guaranteed spot in the lucrative competition is on offer, plus prize money that includes cash for every frame won.
After playing six group matches each, the top four snooker stars will then meet in a semi-final and final both taking place this evening.
- Start time: From 11am GMT
- TV channel: N/A
- Live stream: Matchroom Sport YouTube
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- Mark keen to build on titleMark Selby is determined to use his second successive Championship League crown as a springboard for a great year.
He said: “I feel like I’ve been playing OK the past couple of months, just a bit inconsistent.
“If I can try and string that kind of form together then I’ve got a chance in any tournament.
“It’s only best of fives, but you still get a bit of confidence from it.”
- Selby thrilled to beat ‘man of the moment’Mark Selby was overjoyed to beat “the man of the moment” – after becoming the man of the maximum.
The Jester from Leicester had a ton of fun in front of his home-town fans.
Credit: RexAnd that was not just thanks to his perfect 147 against Xiao Guodong on the way to easing past Kyren Wilson 3-0 in the final.
It was also because Selby bagged three other centuries and a 99 on his awesome day.
The four-time world champ said: “Very pleasing. Best of fives, it’s a bit of a lottery, especially with the standard of players in this Championship League, it’s difficult to win.
“I played a lot better than yesterday. Semis and final I played well, scored well when I got my chances.
“It’s nice to beat someone like Kyren because he’s the man of the moment at the minute.”
- Hendry hails ‘pure brilliance’ of SelbyMark Selby’s magical maximum as he blitzed to the Champions League title on a stream of centuries stunned even legend Stephen Hendry.
Selby added to his 147 with breaks of 129 and 135 as he sunk Xiao Guodong in the semis.
Table visits of 99 and 100 then saw off world champ Kyren Wilson 3-0 in the final.
Seven-time Crucible king Hendry said: “Brilliance, pure brilliance.
“The 147 speaks for itself. An incredible moment for Mark, the sixth of his career, but just relentless scoring.
“All day he has been superb to be the winner.”
- Latest score – Sensational Selby retains crown Selby has won the Championship League with quite simply one of the finest sequences of snooker you could see all year.
And he got there in typical style – with a routine pink to reach his century.
Poor Wilson paid for missing an early red – as he never got another look in.
- RESULT: Kyren Wilson 0-3 Mark Selby
Here’s how Selby reached his century
- Selby wins!
- Latest score – Selby to wrap it up with ton?Another immaculate century seems certain for Selby – the fitting way to retain his crown.
Kyren Wilson 0-2 Mark Selby (0-93)
- Latest score – Mark cruising awaySelby is building another massive break as he looks to wrap up a whitewash win in the final.
he failed to build on cinching the same title last year.
But he looks so composed here now that surely he will feel confident for the rest of the year – including the World Championship.
Selby was on the blacks and reds – and when he drifted a red into the middle pocket he left Wilson needing snookers.
Kyren Wilson 0-2 Mark Selby (0-70)
- Latest score – Selby one frame from titleAnother cool, calm break from Selby doubled his lead over Wilson.
So he’s one frame from retaining his title.
- Kyren Wilson 0-2 Mark Selby
This black broke the resistance of Wilson in the second frame
And this pot confirmed Selby would go 2-0 in front
- Latest score – Selby looking confidentA brilliant long red put Selby on a blue that he took confidently – to give him a real chance of a decisive break.
His next blue then got him onto the pack of reds.
- Kyren Wilson 0-1 Mark Selby (0-29)
This red was anothre special pot from Selby
- Latest score – Cagey start to second frameWilson came back with the better of the early safety shots in the second frame – after falling 12-1 behind.
He took a long, hard look at one tough potting opportunity – before doubling on the reds off a cushion to return the cue ball behind the minor colours.
And instead it was Selby who returned to notch a red – followed by producing an excellent snooker.
- Kyren Wilson 0-1 Mark Selby (1-13)
- Latest score – early Wilson miss Wilson took on and missed by some margin a long red.
And he left a red on that Selby pouched to launch a promising break.
A blue then took him onto the red pack.
But a slight misjudgement left him settling for a clever safety shot.
- Kyren Wilson 0-1 Mark Selby (0-8)
- Latest score – Selby goes in front with 99Selby, astonishingly, just missed out on another ton – but still easily won the first frame against Wilson.
He had to work hard to reach 99 – but in many ways that made it one of his best breaks as his decisions and potting were both flawless.
That is, until he somehow missed a routine brown – which denied him a century.
He still took the frame 103-11.
- Kyren Wilson 0-1 Mark Selby (first frame score: 11-103)
Wilson was on 99 when he shocked everyone with this miss
- Latest score – Selby on brink of openerSelby has slowed up after facing some awkward decisions in this frame – but the ton is still on.
And he’s just used the frame to tuck in a red that’s left Wilson needing snookers.
- Kyren Wilson 0-0 Mark Selby (11-75)
Here’s the position that suggests Selby should win the opening frame
- Latest score – Selby roars back in first frameSelby’s awesome frame-building today has given him a brilliant chance of taking the opening frame against Wilson.
He tucked away reds and blacks before switching to a blue that helped him continue his march towards ANOTHER possible century.
- Kyren Wilson 0-0 Mark Selby (11-50)
- Latest score – Wilson in firstWilson drifted in a long red to give himself a chance of a decent early break.
A green then took him down to the high colours – but the cue ball landed tight against the pack of reds.
So he opted to nudge the white ball back to safety.
- Kyren Wilson 0-0 Mark Selby (11-0)
- Latest score – as Selby launches finalWe’re into early safety play in what could be an epic final.
It’s still the first to three frames.
- Kyren Wilson 0-0 Mark Selby (0-0)
- Coming up – Wilson vs SelbyIt’s another heavyweight finale – set for 7.30pm.
Kyren Wilson stunned Judd Trump 3-0 and Mark Selby then clinched a 3-1 win over Hossein Vafaei in the other semi-final.
So it’s 2014 Crucible king Wilson against four-time world champ Selby – who notched a 147 this afternoon.
- Latest scores – Selby sails throughSelby took advantage of the perfect position to wrap up victory over Vafaei.
A blue took him onto the final red.
And after tickling that red in, Selby pouched a pink to the middle pocket, giving his opponent little choice but to concede at 65-20 down.
- RESULT: Judd Trump 0-3 Kyren Wilson
- RESULT: Mark Selby 3-1 Hossein Vafaei (final frame score: 65-20)
This pink from Selby persuaded Vafaei to concede the frame and match
- Latest scores – Kyren ton sends Judd packingWilson mocked Trump’s earlier dominance of the group stages with an outstanding 3-0 semi-final win.
The world champ missed the green when on 113 in the third frame – but that was just a minor blip in an ultra-smooth performance.
Trump got up with a smile at that point to shake Wilson’s hand after a comprehensive defeat.
- RESULT: Judd Trump 0-3 Kyren Wilson (final frame score: 0-113)
- Mark Selby 2-1 Hossein Vafaei (16-20)
Wilson made the latest ton of a century-packed few hours of snooker
- Latest scores – Selby in front as Wilson scents winSelby has gone back in front over Vafaei with a comfortable third frame.
And Wilson appears to be motoring towards the third frame against Judd Trump – which would mean a surprisingly straightforward victory.
- Judd Trump 0-2 Kyren Wilson (0-53)
- Mark Selby 2-1 Hossein Vafaei (0-7)
- Latest scores – Wilson moves on frame from victoryTrump blew a 56-18 lead as Wilson cleared the colours to move 2-0 in front.
And on the other table Selby has an inviting position that could lead to him too doubling his match lead.
- Judd Trump 0-2 Kyren Wilson
- Mark Selby 1-1 Hossein Vafaei (31-0)
This pink sealed a second-frame comeback for Wilson
- Latest scores – Kyren poised to double leadWilson is hoping to mop up the colours and go 2-0 up on Trump.
- Judd Trump 0-1 Kyren Wilson (56-65)
- Mark Selby 1-1 Hossein Vafaei (0-0)
- Latest scores – Wilson eyeing comebackWilson would have expected to go 2-0 up after Trump missed a snooker badly.
But in the end he had to opt for a safety shot – leaving him still nine points adrift.
And Selby has just levelled against Vafaei.
- Judd Trump 0-1 Kyren Wilson (56-47)
- Mark Selby 1-1 Hossein Vafaei (0-0)
- Latest scores – Judd sweats after missing snookerTrump was unable to get out of a snooker – and has left Wilson with a strong chance of coming back to take the frame.
- Judd Trump 0-1 Kyren Wilson (56-33)
- Mark Selby 1-0 Hossein Vafaei (35-46)
- Latest scores – Trump looking to levelTrump failed to ram home his early advantage in the secnd frame.
But he’s forced Wilson onto the defensive – with the world champ well behind and struggling to find an opener.
Meanwhile, Selby has edged back into hiss second frame with Hossein Vafaei but is still 37 points adrift.
- Judd Trump 0-1 Kyren Wilson (56-18)
- Mark Selby 1-0 Hossein Vafaei (19-46)