Mark Selby is back in the winner’s enclosure after emerging triumphantly in the invitational Championship League Snooker on Wednesday.
In an all-Leicester final at the Morningside Arena, Selby overcame Joe O’Connor 3-1 to claim the silverware.
It represents Selby’s first trophy of what has been an inconsistent 2023/24 snooker season.
The 40 year-old’s last tournament victory was at the WST Classic, which was also staged in his hometown of Leicester, about a year ago.
Since then, Selby has lost in the finals of both the World Championship and the British Open to Luca Brecel and Mark Williams respectively.
The world number five has reached the latter stages of some other events on the calendar without being able to translate that into success, until now.
Selby qualified for the Championship League Winners’ Group by winning Group 3 last month.
Four victories from six league encounters in the round-robin phase proved to be more than enough to see him march forward into the semi-finals of the competition.
In the last four, Selby subsequently overcame 2015 champion Stuart Bingham with a comfortable 3-0 outing.
He then recovered from losing the opening frame to O’Connor in the final by reeling off the following three – compiling a tidy break of 137 in the process.
“I felt like I played okay over the last two days,” Mark Selby told Phil Yates in his post-match interview.
“I scored when I got the majority of my chances so overall I’m happy with my game.”
“It was a tough group with great players. Joe has done brilliant to get here and he played some great stuff to reach the final today.
“It was nice to get the win, but if there was anyone who I was to lose to I would have been chuffed for Joe.
“I know there isn’t a crowd but the standard is so tough. To win here in Leicester too is a great feat for myself and would be for any of the other Leicester players.”
In addition to the £10,000 champion’s cheque and all the cash bonuses that Selby accrued for frames won, he additionally guarantees himself an invite to next term’s Champion of Champions.
Even though this event is played behind closed doors, capturing a trophy at this stage of the season will also do wonders for his confidence.
There are several important tournaments on the horizon, including the Tour Championship which Selby is provisionally set to qualify for.
Then, of course, there will be the blue-riband World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield – a venue Selby has thrived at during the last decade.
Featured photo credit: CLS
A very good time in the season for winning a trophy Indeed, excellent confidence boost for a crucible specialist. With Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump the dominant players of this season and Mark Allen playing effectively but pragmatically, and little else from the cream of the tour selby must fancied for a run.
I fancy at least one of Selby or Carter to really make inroads.