Following his most recent triumph in front of a packed house at the Crucible to add to his victories in 2014, 2016, and 2017, Mark Selby emulates John Higgins as a four-time world snooker champion; the 37-year-old from Leicester defeats 2005 champion Shaun Murphy. 18-15
Following his most recent victory at the Crucible in Sheffield, Mark Selby joined John Higgins as a four-time world snooker champion.
After defeating Shaun Murphy 18-15 in a dramatic final on Monday in front of a packed house at the Crucible in Sheffield, Mark Selby became a four-time global snooker champion.
At the end of the penultimate session of their final, Selby successfully held onto his three-frame advantage over Murphy to move 14-11 ahead.
Despite ‘The Magician’s’ late comeback, Selby maintained his lead when they met again for the conclusion of their best-of-35 match on Monday night. Selby then punched the air after sinking the final black under intense pressure in a thrilling conclusion after 17 days of play to become the fifth player to win four Crucible titles.
Selby, who also took home the trophy in 2014, 2016 and 2017, put an end to a four-year wait while earning a tidy £500,000 in the process.
Ronnie O’Sullivan, Steve Davis, and Ray Reardon are being passed by Selby for the title of tournament six-time champion.
“Absolutely incredible – every time you get to a world final you always try your hardest because it’s such a tough tournament to get there and you never know if it’s going to be your last or not,” Selby said.
“Shaun has played brilliantly throughout the entire game. He is a wonderful player and a great representative for the game. It’s amazing to see [him] back.
“A few years ago I had some really, really dark days and times were tough, obviously all the family will understand what I’m going through, so this has been a special one.”
Selby said, “My aim is to try and get back to number one, you still have massive goals in your career and I’m going in the right direction.” Selby’s victory brought him back up to No. 2 in the global rankings, behind Judd Trump.