Mark Selby romped to victory in the 2011 Paul Hunter Classic after a superb 4-0 win over Mark Davis in Furth.
The ‘Jester from Leicester’ performed at optimum level and sent out a message to the rest of the circuit with the Shanghai Masters only a week away.
Selby took the opening frame of the final with relative ease but the huge turning point occurred in the subsequent frame when the Englishman recovered from 70 points behind to steal it on the black.
Indeed, Davis appeared to be in complete control of the frame before a crazy attempted plant allowed his countryman a chance, which Selby gratefully took with a break of 73.
The reverse in fortunes knocked the stuffing out of Davis – the 2009 6-Reds world champion – and the 39 year-old made an early mistake in frame three that Selby wasted no time in punishing.
A 99 break from the Wuxi Classic champion brought him to within a frame of the second Players Tour Championship event of his career and he completed the rout in the next for a punishing triumph.
Selby had earlier in the day ousted in-form cueists Stephen Lee and Ronnie O’Sullivan – in the latter, the two-time Masters champion came from 3-1 behind to maintain the stranglehold he seems to enjoy over the former world number one.
Although disappointed with his display in the final, Davis should be pleased with his performance this week with wins over Jimmy White, Jamie Cope, Matt Selt, Irishman Fergal O’Brien and 2010 world champion Neil Robertson to his name.
Once again, a tournament in Germany has been a resounding success with stellar attendances and electric atmospheres throughout.
It is clear that snooker in this country will be popular for many years to come and the more events held there the better because it is a fantastic advert for the sport.
For Selby, though, it is another trophy to add to his collection and he will be in desperate search of a major ranking title to add to his lonely Welsh Open victory three years ago.
For such a gifted player it is a wonder he has not won more ranking events but, if he continues to play as positively as he did this week, the wait will surely end soon.
A final word of thought for former referee Len Ganley who sadly passed away today at the age of 68.
The Northern Irishman took charge in four World Championship finals as well as overseeing Ronnie O’Sullivan’s unforgettable fastest ever 147 break in 1997.
