Mark Selby took his third UK Championship title 9 years after his final in a dramatic defeat over Judd Trump; the four-time world champion had thought of retiring after his devastating Crucible loss to Joe O’Connor in 2024
Final Up to date: 07/12/25 11:58pm
Mark Selby gained his third UK Championship, and first since 2016
Mark Selby withstood a courageous fightback from world No 1 Judd Trump to clinch the third UK Championship title of his profession on the Barbican Centre in York.
Selby had zoomed right into a 5-0 lead within the opening session earlier than Trump twice chiselled his approach again to a single-frame deficit and threatened to sprint his rival’s dream of a primary ‘triple crown’ title since 2021.
However the 42-year-old nearly held his nerve to finish a 10-8 win that alerts his return to the highest of the game after 4 years by which a return to his dominant finest had appeared a distant prospect.
Mark Selby celebrates together with his spouse Vikki Layton and daughter Sofia, who was simply two years previous when he final gained this title
Selby went public about his battle with despair within the wake of his fourth world title win in 2021, endured an entire season with no rating title to his title and regarded retirement after crashing to a Crucible defeat to Joe O’Connor in 2024.
“It’s amazing to win another ‘triple crown’ – they’re not easy to win and it took me nine years to get back here (as UK champion),” stated Selby.
“I set my targets out every year to try and win one of these three tournaments. The other tournaments are great, but I think you’re judged by these ‘triple crown’ events, so I’m chuffed to get another one.”
Nonetheless, he confirmed flashes of his previous self all through the week in York, not least in the best way he roared right into a seemingly insurmountable benefit on the again of 5 consecutive half-centuries or higher.
Mark Selby reiterated that he would not nonetheless play if he did not adore it, and at some factors final yr that was almost the case. However he’s again and having fun with enjoying once more
As Trump inevitably stirred, Selby confirmed loads of indicators of strain, not least when he blew a golden probability to clear up for victory within the seventeenth body, however he recovered effectively and a hard-earned 69 within the subsequent noticed him over the road.
Defending champion Trump had made comparatively serene progress into the fifth UK ultimate of his profession, however was compelled to undertake a rearguard motion within the wake of Selby’s gorgeous begin, belatedly awakening with consecutive breaks of 74 and 75 to present himself a glimmer of hope.
Trump blew two huge possibilities to additional scale back the deficit within the ultimate body of the afternoon, as a substitute sending Selby again to the dressing room with a 6-2 lead, and when the Leicester man took the primary after the resumption, an early night time seemed possible.
As a substitute, Selby confirmed his first indicators of frailty. Trump pulled again to 7-3 and gained a dramatic and error-strewn eleventh body helped by an act of sportsmanship by Selby, after Trump disputed referee Olivier Marteel’s award of a free ball in Selby’s favour.
Selby accepted Trump’s protest and the balls had been returned to the place of the unique snooker, out of which Trump duly fluked the final crimson and additional decreased the deficit to 7-4.
Judd Trump made a robust cost however could not fairly catch the four-time world champion Mark Selby
Trump had clearly stepped up a stage, delivering two centuries – 105 and 124 respectively – which sandwiched a cool 91 from Selby and the mid-session interval, making certain the world No 1 saved clinging on at 8-6 down.
Selby twice missed blacks off their spots as Trump closed inside one at 8-7, and Trump did so once more at 9-8 after Selby jarred the best of reds with the title seemingly at his mercy. However the four-time world champion was to not be denied.
“Mark was brilliant at the start and I think I just dragged him down towards the end,” stated a dejected Trump.
“I was in a similar position last year and it’s hard to get over the line in these finals. (But) Mark was the best player all week, and he thoroughly deserved his win.”
