Congratulations Mark Selby!

Here is the report shared by WST:

Selby Retains League Title

Mark Selby won the BetVictor Championship League invitation event for the third consecutive year, beating Wu Yize 3-1 in the final in his home city of Leicester.  

All Results

Selby has dominated this event in recent years, beating Joe O’Connor in the 2024 final and Kyren Wilson in the 2025 final before completing the hat-trick tonight.

And world number six Selby becomes the only player so far this season to win three titles, having captured the Champion of Champions and UK Championship before Christmas.

In the group phase across Tuesday and Wednesday, Elliot Slessor finished top of the table with five wins out six, with Selby second on four wins. China’s Wu finished fourth and then came from 2-1 down to beat Slessor 3-2 in the semi-finals with breaks of 80 and 101 in the last two frames. Selby saw off Si Jiahui 3-0 with runs of 94, 101 and 104.

In the final, Selby took the opening frame then added the second with a break of 128. Rising star Wu, who made the top break of the group with a 146 during the round robin stage, pulled one back only for Selby to seal victory with a run of 92 in frame four.

China’s Wu Yize blitzed to a 10-6 victory over Scotland’s four-time World Champion John Higgins to capture his maiden ranking title by winning the International Championship in Nanjing.

The supremely talented 22-year-old’s potential has been clear for many years. He became World Under-21 Champion back in 2018, aged just 14. Four years later, in 2022, he was named Rookie of the Year after his debut season on tour.

However, this has been Wu’s coming of age week. Having also beaten the likes of compatriots Zhang Anda and World Champion Zhao Xintong, it was against two of England’s finest where he displayed his blistering best.

From 4-0 down in his last 16 tie with world number one Judd Trump, Wu strung together 12 consecutive frames to win 6-4 and then whitewash Barry Hawkins 6-0. Each of those frames contained a break over 60. The question was could he carry that form into his final with experienced 50-year-old Higgins?

Today’s clash was the fourth biggest ever age gap in a ranking final, the biggest was 30 years between Ding Junhui and Steve Davis in the 2005 UK Championship final.

Wu’s previous two final appearances ended in defeat. He lost 9-7 to Neil Robertson in the 2024 English Open final and a few months later was beaten 9-5 by Lei Peifan in the 2024 Scottish Open final.

This win makes Wu the ninth ranking event winner from mainland China and he pockets a £175,000 top prize. That catapults Wu from 22nd to 13th in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings. He now qualifies automatically for the UK Championship, at Chris Wakelin’s expense.

It’s a disappointing end to a very strong week for 33-time ranking event winner Higgins. He will have to settle for the £75,000 runner-up cheque in his 59th ranking final. His run included a 9-2 win over close friend Stephen Maguire in the semis and a 6-2 defeat of Shaun Murphy in the quarters.

The afternoon session saw Wu dominate large chunks of the play, but Higgins showed his grit and experience to claim the last two frames leave the match in the balance at 5-4 to Wu.

When play got underway this evening, Wu immediately regained the initiative with a break of 87 to go two ahead.

A dramatic 11th frame proved to be a crucial juncture in the match. Higgins had the frame under control when he missed a tricky brown to the left hand baulk corner. After a brief exchange, Wu took on a double which led to a tremendous clearance of 43 to steal on the black and move 7-4 ahead.

Wu compounded that frame with a maximum attempt in the 12th. His run ended on 80, but it left him needing just two frames for glory at 8-4 as they went in for the mid-session.

After play resumed, the next two frames were traded, as Wu moved to the verge of victory at 9-5. Higgins crafted a defiant 53 to make it 9-6, but this evening was Wu’s moment. He went out with a bang, hammering home 108 to get over the line and become the International Champion.

“Honestly, it feels unbelievable. After beating Judd Trump, I started thinking about the whole journey and it was surreal,” said an elated Wu.

“I think one of the good things was that I started both sessions of the final really well. Having a lead helped me to relax. Everything went pretty much the way I wanted.

“It has been a long wait since reaching the final at the Scottish Open and the English Open last year. At times I honestly felt quite desperate, but deep down I always believed I had the ability to win a title. Every day I kept thinking about it. I had a strong will to lift a trophy. That belief carried me through this week.

“My parents are everything. My dad (Wu Jiepin) has been with me since I was a kid, always by my side. He’s helped me so much, especially during difficult times in the UK. I’m so grateful for what he has done for me.”

Higgins said: “I was nowhere near good enough all day. He was striking the ball beautifully. He was by far the better player. It reminded me so much of playing Paul Hunter. The way he gets through the ball and gets so much action on it. He is a brilliant player.

“There’s no point in getting too down. I’ll get home and have a couple of days off before the Champion of Champions. After that it is the Riyadh tournament and then building up to the UK. I’m disappointed with how I played today.

“I’m delighted his mum and dad are here. It brings back memories for me. It could open the floodgates. It goes to show the good hands snooker is in. I’m glad that I’ll probably be retiring in a couple of years with guys like that potting them off the lampshades. He is a total star.”

All the detailed results are on snooker.org

Wu Yize needed to win two qualifying matches to make it to the main venue and duly did. He beat Jian Jun (10-4) and Matthew Stevens (10-9) in the qualifying rounds, but went out to Mark Williams in the last 32, beaten by 10-8. Willo then went on to reach the final, so this was a great effort by Wu.
Ding Junhui and Luca Brecel were seeded 10 and 7 respectively, which means that they were due to face each other in the second round at the Crucible, should they both negotiate the first round successfully … which they did. Luca beat Ding by 13-4 in the second round. Luca then lost by 13-8 to Judd Trump in the quarter-finals.
Both Mark Selby and Neil Robertson lost in the first round at the Crucible, the round of 32. Mark was beaten 10-8 by Ben Woollaston and Neil lost to Chris Wakelin by the same score.

All detailed results are available on snooker.org

Selby Wins 24th Ranking Title

Mark Selby won the BetVictor Welsh Open for the second time, and his 24th ranking title in all, with a 9-6 victory over Stephen Maguire in the final in Llandudno.

From 6-6, Selby pulled away to win the last three frames to land the £100,000 top prize and Ray Reardon Trophy. Reardon and Terry Griffiths, two of the best ever Welsh players, have passed away in recent months and both would have appreciated Selby’s capacity to raise his game at the key moments as he dominated the closing stages, after Maguire had made a fine clearance for 6-6.

This is becoming an excellent season for 41-year-old Selby as he won the Unibet British Open in September and the BetVictor Championship League Invitational earlier this month. It’s the first time since 2020/21 he has won three titles in a single season – and there are opportunities for Selby to add to his haul in the coming months, notably in the spring when he will be among the leading contenders for the World Championship crown.

Having contemplated retirement during a few dark moments at the end of last season, when form and confidence deserted him, Selby is a renewed force this term.

His tally of 24 ranking titles brings him level with Neil Robertson on the all-time list, behind only Ronnie O’Sullivan (41), Stephen Hendry (36), John Higgins (31), Judd Trump (30), Steve Davis (28) and Mark Williams (26).

…

Maguire was playing in his first ranking final since 2020 but missed out on a sixth ranking title. Still, it’s a step forward for the 43-year-old Scot and the £45,000 prize crucially lifts him to 23rd on the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year list with the top 32 qualifying for next month’s World Grand Prix in Hong Kong.

After sharing the first session 4-4, Maguire had a chance to take the lead in the opening frame tonight, but missed the green off the last red when he led 55-36, and Selby cleared to edge ahead. Maguire’s run of 55 helped him take frame ten, then four-time World Champion Selby responded with a 67 to lead 6-5. The Englishman looked set to double his advantage until he missed a straight-forward red to a top corner on 60 in frame 12, and Maguire punished him with a fabulous 71 clearance which included a series of crafty shots to nudge reds off cushions.

After the interval, once again Selby edged ahead with a break of 60, then went two frames ahead for the first time since 3-1 with a superb 128 total clearance. In frame 15, Selby led 37-0 when he missed the pink to a centre pocket, but Maguire’s counter ended on 8 when he failed to cut a thin black to a top corner. And when he missed a difficult long red, he handed Selby the table to add a match-winning 30.

“At 6-5 I missed an easy red and the clearance Stephen made was ridiculous,” said Selby, who won his first ranking title at this event in 2008. “That could have been a turning point but I managed to get ahead again in the next frame. I had run of the ball at key moments, that can be the difference at this level. It’s great to see Stephen playing well and back in a final because he is a class act.

“It’s a special feeling. I am in a much better place than I was at the end of last season, when I shouldn’t have even played at the World Championship. I am enjoying it more and I feel I can still get better because there are a few parts of my game I can improve on.”

Maguire said: “I want to say thanks to the crowd, it was unreal to have that much support. When I made the clearance for 6-6 I wanted to carry on, the interval came at the wrong time for me. From 6-6 I hardly had a chance so all credit to Mark.”

All the detailed results are available on snooker.org.

Luca Brecel reached the semi-finals wre he was beaten by Mark Selby (6-3).
Neil Robertson and Wu Yize lost in the round of 32 to Tom Ford and Sanderson Lam respectively.

Here is the report by WST:

DING CLAIMS NANJING GLORY
Ding Junhui secured the 15th ranking title of his illustrious career with a 10-7 defeat of Chris Wakelin in the final of the International Championship in Nanjing.

Chinese sporting icon Ding has now triumphed in seven ranking events in his native country, but this week’s victory is a first on home soil since 2017. Ding’s last victory in China came at the World Open seven years ago, when he beat Kyren Wilson in the final. He’s now a two-time International Champion, having first won the event back in 2013.

It’s also Ding’s first ranking event win in just under five years. He last tasted silverware in 2019 at the UK Championship, where he defeated Stephen Maguire in the title match.

Victory and the £175,000 top prize for Ding sees him jump from 93rd to seventh in the one-year-list, while he moves up from ninth to eighth in the world rankings.

That enhances his standing in the race for the lucrative Riyadh Season Snooker Championship in December, where the top ten in the world rankings at the end of the upcoming UK Championship will earn places.

Wakelin has to settle for the £75,000 runner-up prize, but it’s been a momentous week for the Englishman. His performance sees him move into the world’s top 16 for the first time in his career. That means he earns an automatic slot at the UK Championship in York and boosts his chances of qualifying for the Masters in January.

They came into this evening with Ding holding a slender 5-4 lead. However, momentum was very much in his favour, having claimed the last four frames of the afternoon to wrest control from 4-1 down. A raucous home crowd roared their hero on as the action got underway in the final session.

Things continued to move in Ding’s favour in the first frame tonight, but it was Wakelin who had the first chance. A missed black off the spot allowed Ding in and he compiled a frame winning 66 to make it 6-4.

Both players had opportunities in the next. A run of 63 was the telling contribution for Ding, leaving him 7-4 ahead after a crucial burst of six consecutive frames.

Wakelin showed his class and fought hard to stay in contention amid the onslaught from his opponent. Breaks of 82 and 89 gave him frames 12 and 13 to leave him 7-6 behind heading into the mid-session interval.

A brilliant contribution of 98 saw Ding restore his two frame advantage when play resumed. Wakelin continued to battle away though and claimed a 35-minute 15th to make it 8-7.

That proved to be Wakelin’s last frame of the match, with Ding firing home runs of 72 and 64 to close out the victory in style and return to the winner’s circle.

“Winning in China feels like a home victory. The support I get here is incredible. Players have to stay focused on the match, but external support also helps. It’s been tough, not only for me but for the fans too. I’m glad we all made it through together. The setup in Nanjing, like transportation and facilities, was excellent.”

Ding added: “I’ve played so well in every match. Chris applied a lot of pressure in this game, especially at 4-1. I put too much pressure on myself at the beginning. That was the perfect start for him, but he started missing and there were some key frames to get 5-4 ahead. The second session was totally different.

“Over the past five years, there were good and bad moments. Sometimes it has been early exits and there have been a few semi-finals and quarter-finals. Reflecting on my career, it looks like I’ve either been eliminated early or gone all the way.

“I didn’t know my family were going to be at the trophy presentation, it was great to see them. My kids hadn’t seen me win anything live before. ”

Wakelin said: “I got off to a great start and losing six frames on the trot was the difference. I was proud of how well I handled myself. Only a couple of years ago, that kind of situation would have scared the life out of me. To be out there and feel like I could have won, despite how Ding played, I think I was a credit to myself.

“I’ve got very vivid memories of watching snooker as a child and dreaming of being in these sorts of scenarios. As much as it does sometimes feel like a dream world, it also feels incredibly normal. I feel like I belong here and that I am capable of coming back and one day lifting this sort of title. As much as today was disappointing, I am really proud of how I handled myself.”

All the detailed results are available on snooker.org.

Here is what Neil had to say after his win as reported by WST:“I haven’t won for a couple of years and I was looking great at 8-2. I played brilliantly in the first session and capitalised on every minor error he had. I then had everything thrown at me,” said 42-year-old Robertson.

“I was trying to use little bits of motivation to stay calm. There wasn’t much I could do, because he played amazing. It is just about keeping my composure at all times. You need to be ready for when the chance comes your way and I was.

“This was the last opportunity for me to win with my dad Ian over, before he goes back to Australia. He’s a man of very few words, but he will be chuffed to bits tonight. I’ve spent 20 years as a professional and he’s never seen me win a final in person. I’m really happy to get one for him.
“Up until 8-2 in the final, you could argue this was the best I’ve ever played in a tournament. I controlled so many matches and only conceded five frames to get to the final. I am really pleased with everything. It is nice to get a win with Joe Perry in my corner. There may have been people questioning if it was working with him and this proves it definitely is.”

It was indeed a great battle and Wu Yize showed his class and resolve ou there. He had a bad first session. He had to come back from 7-1 and 8-2 down and nearly did it! He’s some player that boy!

Wu Yize was interviewd on stage by Tai Chengzhe. Here is what he had to say:

“I think for the second half of the match I was into it and under no pressure. I felt really good, but it was a little bit too late. This was my first final, so I felt a bit of pressure in the afternoon.

“I wasn’t setting myself any goal in this match. In the last 16 I played Judd and I wanted to beat him. I got my revenge and did that. It was great to play in the final in front of such a great crowd. There are no regrets from me.”

Ding didn’t play in the event. Travel issues prevented him to get in Brentwood in time.
Mark Selby reached the quarter final, beaten by Ishpreet Singh Chadah by 5-4. Judd Trump exited the tournament at the same stage … beaten by Wu Yize. Luca Brecel had been beaten in round 2 by Pang Junxu.

Although he didn’t win the championship, Mark made history. Indeed he made a 147 in the final, the first-ever maximum break in a World Snooker Championship final.

You can watch it here:

Here is what Mark had to say after the match, as reported by WST.

Selby said: “I battled and gave everything but every credit to Luca he deserves it. Congratulations to Luca, he’s a great talent and a great lad with a lovely family. I wish him all the best. It was great to make a 147 at the Crucible, I never thought I would do it in a final.

“It was an amazing achievement and something I will remember for the rest of my life but it’s not about me today, it is about Luca, he played fantastic over the two days.”

The other Grove players involved in the Championship though didn’t fare well. Ali Carter, Judd Trump and Ding Junhui all lost in round 1. Neil Robertson reached round 2. All detailed results are on snooker.org.

The tournament was held in Milton Keynes, under social distancing rules. It started on November 23th and finished on December 6th, 2020.
Ding Junhui was the Defending Champion, but his defence ended in the last 64 round; he was beaten 6-5 by David Grace.
All Grove players were involved.

The all Grove final was an incredible match that ended well past midnight. There was never more than one frame between the players. The deciding frame lasted 66 minutes and it went to the last pink.

Both players gave it absolutely everything.

Neil was interviewed by Rob Walker after the match:

This is the best account you will find on that match, the journey to victory: the emotions, the doubts, the exhaustion, and the triumph, told by the winner in his own words.

Judd was very honest and gracious in defeat (source WST):

“It was an epic battle, it’s tough to take. I bottled it at the end, simple as that. I had an easy brown to screw back, I tried to stun it as I was under pressure, but I messed it up. The pressure got to me. Neil is an amazing player and thoroughly deserved the win. Hopefully, I can learn from that.”

Neil celebrated with his partner, Mille.

Ali Carter lost in the first round, Luca Brecel in the last 64, and Jack Lisowski reached the quarter finals.

All detailed results can be found on snooker.org

Neil Robertson and Ali Carter reached the QF stage. Neil lost to John Higgins by 13-10. He was probably a bit disappointed by that result given the excellent season he just had. Ali Carter, who had to qualify for the event, lost by 13-9 to Gary Wilson, another qualifier who was a revelation in this championship. Gary Wilson had also beaten Luca Brecel in round one and Mark Selby in round two, whilst Ali Carter himself had beaten Jack Lisowski in round one and Zhou Yuelong in round two.

All detailed results are on snooker.org

Ronnie came fighting back in the evening, but could only share the session. All week Judd played solid snooker. His safety game was excellent, his potting devastating, and, above all his discipline was impeccable. After the match, Judd thanked his family for their constant support since he started playing snooker as a child. He also stressed how much having his brother Jack at his side over the last months has massively helped him in all departments. This is Judd’s second triple crown, more than seven years after the first, the 2011 UK Championship.

Congratulations Judd! A well deserved win rewarding all the hard work put in over the last months.

Here is Judd’s interview by Rob Walker after his win:

And the trophy ceremony

To get to the final, Judd had got the better of Kyren Wilson, the World n°1 Mark Selby and Neil Robertson. The first round win over Kyren was particularly pleasing as Kyren had got the better of him in all of their four encounters in 2018.

Judd wasn’t the only Grove player involved in the Masters 2019.

Neil Robertson reached the semi finals where he lost only to the eventual winner Judd Trump. To get there, Neil had beaten the reigning World Champion Mark Williams and the ever solid Barry Hawkins.

Jack Lisowski was the only debutant in the tournament. He was comprehensively beaten by Ding Junhui in round 1 (6-1). He admitted that he had been a bit overawed by the circumstances and the huge raucous crowd. However, he enjoyed the experience and vowed to learn from it.

Luca Brecel was the youngest player in the field. He started with a bang, beating the Defending Champion, Mark Allen in round 1. He then narrowly lost to Ding Junhui – the match went to a decider- whilst playing with a badly damaged tip! The tip was damaged only moments before the match whilst Luca was having a few practice shots.

All results are on snooker.org