Mark Selby held off a fightback from defending champion Judd Trump to triumph in a nerve-shredding final 10-8 and win the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship for a third time.
Victory sees Selby reach the quarter-century mark in ranking silverware, with this being his 25th title.
The Jester from Leicester also captured UK crowns in 2012 and 2016, when he won respective finals against Shaun Murphy and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Selby has ended a nine year wait to conquer York again and the signs were there in the lead up to the event. He won last month’s invitational Champion of Champions, where he defeated Trump 10-5 in the title match.
42-year-old Selby moves to ten Triple Crown titles in all, edging ahead of John Higgins (9) in the all-time list. Only Steve Davis (15), Stephen Hendry (18) and Ronnie O’Sullivan (23) have won more than Selby.
Defeat for world number one Trump means he ends 2025 without having added to his trophy collection. It is the first time the Bristolian has failed to win an event in a calendar year since 2013.
Selby claims the £250,000 winner’s cheque and as a result rises from 11th position to sixth in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings. Trump remains unmoved at the summit.
They came into tonight with Selby holding a commanding 6-2 lead. The opening frame went the way of the four-time World Champion, who crafted a run of 59 to extend his advantage to 7-2.
Trump seized the initiative in the next with a break of 63, but spurned a black off the spot. Selby couldn’t punish him and a safety battle ensued. Trump eventually trapped his opponent and won the exchange to make it 7-3.
A fragmented 11th saw both players miss balls unexpectedly, but after 38 minutes of play, it was 2019 Crucible king Trump who prevailed to go three behind at 7-4. The Juddernaut rode the wave of momentum into the interval, hammering in a century run of 105 to trail 7-5.
When play resumed, Selby produced a 91 break to move two away from the finishing line. However, the Ace in the Pack refused to fold and made a sublime 125 to pull within two at 8-6.
A nervy 15th saw Selby miss two routine blacks off the spot, allowing Trump to reduce his arrears further and crank up the heat, making it 8-7.
Despite the huge tension, Selby summoned the steel to make 77 and move to the verge of victory and lead 9-7.
The balls appeared to be at Selby’s mercy in the 17th, but a missed red to the top left allowed Trump back to the table and he clawed back to 9-8. In typical Selby fashion, he recomposed himself and made 69 to cap off a landmark win.
“I missed a dolly red when I was in win 10-7 and I was sitting in my chair thinking that if I lose 10-9 that will haunt me forever. It would have been worse than the Willie Thorne blue! To make the break in the last, it is probably one of the best breaks of my career. Under those circumstances, to hold myself together,” said an elated and relieved Selby.
“To win any tournament nowadays is so difficult. I put so much emphasis on these Triple Crown events. I always try that little bit harder and the pressure is greater. These are the events I judge my CV on. It is nice to get to double figures.
“It is incredible to go above John Higgins in Triple Crown wins. I’ve looked up to him for years. When I was a young lad, he was at the top of his game and he is still top of his game now. To know I’m in front of him by one is incredible. He is still capable of winning Triple Crown events himself and it wouldn’t surprise me if he did it this season. I get on with him really well, so I can have a bit of banter about that.”
Trump said: “I had a lot of chances this evening. It is my own fault and I missed too many easy balls. It isn’t easy to get over the line in these big events and I was in a similar situation last year. I hoped that I would find my best but it didn’t happen.
“Mark was much the better player and I was just trying to hang in. There was the odd frame when I was coming back and I was starting to pot a few. I will be trying to find that at the start of the game in the Masters. I will work hard between now and the Masters.”
Congratulations Mark Selby!
Finals can sometimes being a bit disappointing as tension mounts and both players feel the pressure, but this was a quality match where both players scored heavily: between them them compiled 17 breaks over 50.
Only two frames failed to “provide” a 50+ break. Considering the pressure they were under because this was the final of a “Triple Crown” event, the feat is truly remarkable.
Neil Robertson thrashed Wu Yize 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York, as he continues his quest to return to the business end of one of snooker’s biggest events.
The Thunder from Down Under is a three-time UK Champion, having lifted the famous trophy in 2013, 2014 and 2020. However, he arrived in York having not won a match in the event since he last captured the title. Victory over Belgian qualifier Julien Leclercq in round one ended that run and today’s dominant display establishes Robertson as a key contender for silverware this time around.
Robertson has enjoyed a fine season so far, having beaten Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-9 in the final of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. He was also runner-up to Zhao Xintong at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.
Wu came into this week off the back of a superb triumph at the recent International Championship, where he beat John Higgins in the final to secure a maiden ranking title. However, Australia’s Robertson proved to be too strong today.
It was 22-year-old Wu who took the opener today, before Robertson ran rampant. Breaks of 51, 65, 75, 56 and 68 helped him to six frames on the bounce and a routine victory. That sets up a last eight meeting with Pang Junxu.
43-year-old Robertson said: “I thought after losing the first frame, which I should have won, I mentally recovered very quickly. I pounced on a couple of mistakes from him. After the interval I thought I was quite strong.
“I’m expecting tougher challenges ahead. There are a lot of great players still in the event and a lot of previous winners. I’m really pleased with the progress so far.
“I haven’t won a match since winning this event, so getting through the first match was good. I love coming up to York and all of the Triple Crown events. There is great production. It is great just looking up at the commentary box and seeing Dennis Taylor and things like that.”
On the other table, Pang defeated three-time World Champion Mark Williams 6-3 to make the UK Championship quarter-finals for the first time in his career.
With the tie in the balance at 4-3, Pang pounced on moment of bad luck for Williams when he inadvertantly fouled a red into the middle pocket. A break of 53 moved the Chinese cueman one from victory at 5-3. He then hammered home the highest break of the match, a run of 116, to get over the line and book his last eight clash with Robertson.
25-year-old Pang said: “It feels unbelievable right now. I’ve managed to beat two great players in a row, Xiao Guodong in the first round and now Mark Williams. I’m honestly exhausted, but very happy.
“The Triple Crown events are very different. It all feels much bigger than regular tournaments. For professional players, these events hold a special meaning, so the emotions are definitely different.
“A lot of Chinese players have achieved very good results this season, including Xiao Guodong winning a ranking title. We practise together often, and seeing them lift trophies is very motivating for me. That inspires us to improve and hopefully win titles ourselves.
“Neil Robertson has been playing well this season. I’ve played him many times before, with wins and losses. Facing him always excites me — his style of play brings the best out of me. I hope our match will be a great one.”
Defending champion Judd Trump battled to a 6-3 win over Si Jiahui to make the quarter-finals of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.
World number one Trump captured the title 12 months ago after a fiercely contested final, in which he beat Barry Hawkins 10-8. His dominance of the sport at the time has ensured that he has spent the last year at the top of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings.
However, he hasn’t lifted silverware since last year’s win in York. If Trump fails to win this week, he will have gone the calendar year of 2025 without a tournament win. The last time that happened to him was 2013.
Having tried changing cues recently, Trump has returned to the cue he won the 2019 World Championship with, alongside many other events. It appears to be paying dividends so far this week.
Last time the pair met, Si put on a stunning display to make a 147 en route to beating Trump 6-2 in semi-finals of the 2024 Wuhan Open. That performance was described by Trump as one of the best he has ever been pitted against.
The opening two frames this evening were split, before Trump made 117 in the third to lead 2-1. He then trailed 65-1 in the fourth and summoned a sensational clearance of 65 to steal by a point and move 3-1 up at the mid-session.
Trump appeared to be cruising to the line when a 37-minute fifth went his way. However, two on the bounce from Si made it 4-3 and left the tie in the balance.
The Ace in the Pack edged to the verge of victory and then forced himself over the line with a match winning break of 50 in the ninth. Awaiting Trump is either Ding Junhui or Scott Donaldson.
“I think it was pretty good, especially at the start up until 4-1. There was a little wobble in the middle of the game but in the end it was a slight improvement on round one,” said 36-year-old Trump.
“If he gets back to 4-4 it is game on again. Those are the crucial times and moments you have to be potting key balls. He is still very young and quite inexperienced when it comes to this kind of tournament. He will learn from it.
“It is nice to just be playing snooker. I don’t know what will happen after this tournament but for now I’m very comfortable with this cue. Everything is good. The venue is great, conditions are perfect and this is somewhere I enjoy coming.”
On the other table, four-time World Champion Mark Selby scored a 6-2 win over Zhou Yuelong to book his quarter-final slot.
Selby looks to be in fine form this week, having already comfortably beaten Scottish Open champion Lei Peifan 6-2 in round one. Defeat for qualifier Zhou means he fails to cash in on a landmark 6-4 defeat of Ronnie O’Sullivan in his opening match.
The pair were level at 2-2 heading into the interval this evening. When play resumed they contested a marathon 53-minute frame. Selby ironically tapped his watch after claiming it to move 3-2 ahead.
The following frames saw him hammer home breaks of 71, 75 and 56 to secure victory. He awaits either Barry Hawkins or Elliot Slessor in the quarters.
Selby said: “If you can’t get confidence from beating Ronnie O’Sullivan in a big match you never will do. It looked like he had that at the start of the match. He’s had a good season as well. I knew it was going to be a tough game.
“It is getting harder to win Triple Crown titles. It was hard anyway, but it is even harder now with the standard. I feel like I’m happy with my game. I’m giving myself a chance in the tournament and that is all you can ask for.”
Again, with just four matches to report on, WST’s post are comprehensive enough and I have not much to add. Wu’s performance was disappointing, but that happens. Nobody can play at their best all the time and once Neil gets on top of an opponent, he’s ruthless. The other matches went the way I expected. Willo did well to get thus far, but at 50, he’s no more the force he used to be and Pang is very solid.
Four-time World Champion Selby booked his last 16 slot with an dominant 6-2 win over Scottish Open champion Lei Peifan.
The Jester from Leicester is a two-time UK Champion, but hasn’t triumphed in York since 2016.
A 51 break in the opener this afternoon gave Selby a 1-0 lead on the black and a platform to build from. Further contributions of 82, 75 and 133 helped him charge into a 5-0 lead.
Lei pegged him back to 5-2, but recent Champion of Champions winner Selby took the eighth to get himself over the line.
Selby said: “I thought Lei battled well to 5-2 and it looked like he still fancied the job, which is a great mindset for him. I still felt calm but I was happy to get over the line. I didn’t want it to get too close.
“I feel like I’m somewhere close to my best. It would be nice to have a good run here. It has been a few years since I’ve had a good run in a Triple Crown event. I’d swap winning the Champion of Champions for winning this, that is for sure. I’m playing well so lets see what happens.”
Elliot Slessor won his first ever match at the York Barbican, defeating world number two Kyren Wilson 6-4 to make the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
The Tyneside cueman first appeared in York back in 2013, but it has taken him 12 years to finally win a match at the venue. He won final stage matches to reach the last 32 in 2020, but the event was displaced to Milton Keynes due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, this season has seen world number 21 Slessor make a major breakthrough. He beat the likes of Stuart Bingham, Mark Williams and John Higgins en route to the semis of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, where he lost to Neil Robertson. The £100,000 pocketed that week was the biggest payday of his career.
Wilson was visibly frustrated and emotional in the arena. The 2024 World Champion has spent his week in York trying to find solutions with his cue, which was recently damaged.
Slessor now turns his attentions to a last 16 tie with Londoner Barry Hawkins, while Wilson will next appear in Edinburgh at the Scottish Open.
After this evening’s first two frames were traded, Slessor won the third on the black to edge ahead. However, Wilson won the fourth to ensure parity at the mid-session, with the two players locked level at 2-2.
When play resumed, Slessor claimed two on the bounce to move 4-2 ahead. Wilson then appeared to click into gear with runs of 104 and 91 to make it 4-4.
The rally from the Warrior was to be short lived, as Slessor moved one from the win at 5-4. He then made 66 to get over the line and book his meeting with Hawkins.
“I just battled. That was all I had. I just battled as hard as I could and stayed in there. I knew it was a miracle that I was 4-2 up as he was the better player. He found a gear to go 4-4 and I knew I needed to find something myself,” said 31-year-old Slessor
“It is great to win against a player of Kyren’s class. He is a phenomenal player and a former World Champion. However, I know I can beat these players if I play my game. I’d have taken a lot more from that if I’d played better, but I’m still in the tournament and I can still improve.
“Barry is another phenomenal player. I can’t believe he hasn’t won a Triple Crown event, I think he is that good. He is a tremendous match player.”
On the other table, Hawkins emerged victorious after a hard fought 6-4 victory over 50-year-old qualifier David Lilley.
Hawkins was runner-up last year here in York. He beat the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Shaun Murphy to make the title match, but fell short 10-8 against world number one Judd Trump.
Victory today means the four-time ranking event winner remains in the hunt for that elusive first Triple Crown triumph.
Hawkins said: “It was a very difficult game. There was a spell mid-match where it looked like it would be a good standard, but it went scrappy again. I didn’t really feel match sharp.
“Elliot is playing really well. For the last three or four seasons I felt like he’d make a breakthrough. I’ve always rated him. He’s knocked out Kyren and you don’t do that unless you are playing well. I’ve got a difficult game and I need to up my game that is for sure.”
Mark Selby speaks out on a snooker future without Ronnie O’Sullivan
Mark Selby says snooker will survive a future without Ronnie O’Sullivan but admits the Rocket brings a unique atmosphere to tournaments.
O’Sullivan was beaten 6-4 by Zhou Yuelong in his UK Championship opener on Tuesday, losing in the first round for the second year on the bounce.
The seven-time world champion turns 50 this week and is playing a reduced schedule of mainly events in China and the Middle East.
This week’s visit to the Barbican in York was the first time he has played in the UK since his World Championship semi-final defeat to Zhao Xintong in May.
There is no real sign that O’Sullivan is set to hang up his cue at the moment, ranked five in the world and saying that he is still enjoying the game.
However, there will come a time at which the Rocket heads into retirement and Selby says that something will be lost from events.
‘For me, it’s always great when Ronnie is in a tournament,’ he said after beating Lei Peifan 6-2 on Tuesday in the same session as O’Sullivan’s loss. ‘It has that extra vibe.
‘Even just playing there, being in the same session, with the crowd you get that atmosphere which you don’t really get with any other player.
‘No disrespect to any other players on the tour, even myself, we’re all top players, but you don’t get that atmosphere with anyone else. If I’d have been playing with [John] Higgins on the next table or [Mark] Williams or Judd [Trump] or [Zhao] Xintong, even them guys, as good as they are, you still don’t get that atmosphere.’
The 42-year-old is backing the younger players on tour to bring in the crowds in future, though, naming a string of stars who play exciting snooker.
‘Hopefully he just carries on playing, he seems like he still enjoys it, or else he wouldn’t be playing. As long as he stays healthy I’m sure he’ll carry on.’
Selby would have met O’Sullivan in the last 16 if the Rocket had progressed, but instead he takes on Zhou for a place in the quarter-finals.
‘If you play Ronnie it would have been a great occasion and a tough game,’ he said. ‘Zhou’s obviously playing some decent stuff to beat Ronnie as well, he’s a great player himself.
‘Whoever I play it’s going to be a tough game. It would’ve been great to play Ronnie here in York, but not to be.’
Selby looks in very good form at the moment, after winning the Champion of Champions last month, and says he feels as good as he has done for a long time.
‘I feel like I’m somewhere close,’ he said on how near he is to his best. ‘It would be nice to have a run in these big ones because it’s been a few years since I’ve had a run in these Triple Crown events.
‘I’m playing some decent stuff and I’m fancying the big shots when I’m under it, which is key, because that’s been a little while before I’ve been in that position. I’m playing alright so let’s see what happens.’
It was another well attended day of snooker yesterday in York and with only four matches on the menu WST was able to produce decent comprehensive reports and I don’t have much to add to them.
The crowd is always good in York, and fair as well. Still, I was surprised by the reception Zhao Xintong got. Here is a player from China who has been involved in a match fixing affair and, despite not having actually fixed any match himself, he faced some harsh lasting hostility from some corners on the Internet. There was nothing of that on show yesterday.
China’s first World Champion Zhao Xintong and his iconic compatriot Ding Junhui scored respective wins on Monday at the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
It was a historic afternoon in York, with the first ever all-Chinese lineup in a two-table session of a Triple Crown event.
Crucible king Zhao put on a superb display to see off Long Zehuang 6-1 in his first Triple Crown appearance since winning a maiden world title back in May.
Zhao climbed to the top of the snooker world with stunning wins over Ronnie O’Sullivan in the semi-finals and Mark Williams in the final.
He’s gunning for a second UK Championship title this week, having lifted the famous trophy in 2021 with a win over Luca Brecel in the final.
Zhao stepped out to a tremendous reception this afternoon and he thrilled the packed Barbican crowd from the off. A break of 107 gave him the opener, before a further three on the bounce meant the 28-year-old led 4-0 at the mid-session interval.
A break of 51 helped make it five, before a dramatic sixth frame. Long looked set to come from behind and steal before missing a tricky final pink on 60 for the frame. A safety battle ensued, with a fluke from Long eventually making it 5-1.
The resistance was to be short lived. A break of 72 helping three-time ranking event winner over the line to book a second round meeting with either Zhang Anda or Gary Wilson.
Zhao said: “I felt really good about my game from the start. After the break I started to make some mistakes. I think it’s alright though. I was able to play at a good level in my first match. It will get better and better. I have greater confidence in myself now.
“We will see more and more afternoons like this in the future. The Chinese players are getting stronger. Another all-Chinese lineup will happen soon, for sure.
“I have been aware of how much people expect me to do well since winning the world title, but I’m trying to keep a composed mindset. If I set my expectations too high for myself then I feel more pressure. I have been learning to deal with it and handle the stress. I’m trying to enjoy matches.”
On the other table, three-time UK Champion Ding overcame former International Championship semi-finalist Xu Si 6-4 in a hard fought encounter.
York is a happy hunting ground for Ding. He last lifted the famous trophy here back in 2019 and was runner-up in both 2022 and 2023.
Breaks of 103 and 66 helped the 38-year-old into a 3-1 advantage at the mid-session. When play resumed, a potentially momentum changing fifth went the way of Xu on a re-spotted black.
Xu then levelled, but Ding stopped the fightback with runs of 92 and 109 to move one from victory at 5-3. Xu pulled one back with 96 in the ninth, before Ding hammered home a match winning 64. He awaits the winner between Mark Allen and Scott Donaldson.
“I was a bit lucky to get the win today. He was struggling when play started but came back in the end. I am happy to win any match, but to have four players from China in a Triple Crown was fantastic,” said world number eight Ding.
“There are many young Chinese players now winning a lot. They are playing much better. I am trying to win as much as I can for the rest of my career. If I don’t, then I won’t get too disappointed looking back. I think I have done a lot for snooker in my career. I think I can be happy that I’m playing the way I want to play.”
An emotional Scott Donaldson scored a superb 6-1 defeat of world number seven Mark Allen to make the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
Donaldson’s father Hector sadly passed away last month and the Perth cueman was in tears as he made his entrance to the arena this evening, walking out to the David Gray song Babylon. Gray was one of his father’s favourite artists.
Tonight’s result is a continuation of a remarkable run for the world number 52. He summoned a sensational comeback in the last round of qualifying to reach York. Donaldson overturned a 5-0 deficit against 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham to win 6-5.
Despite the one-sided scoreline this evening, the fragmented nature of the frames meant it was still a keenly contested clash. With Donaldson leading 2-0, the third frame lasted 59 minutes before the Scot eventually took it to lead 3-0. A break of 57 from Allen then gave him the fourth frame to trail 3-1 at the mid-session.
When play resumed Donaldson won two consecutive frames lasting over 45-minutes and then took the seventh on the black to get over the line. He clenched his fist after deposting the final ball. Donaldson will now face Chinese legend Ding Junhui.
“It is a game at the end of the day. It isn’t life or death. After what I’ve been through I can tell you what is important. When the pressure comes on, I tell myself, this is a game of snooker, get on with it,” said 31-year-old Donaldson.
“I was fine until I got to the top of the stairs – and the last time I was in this venue was with my dad. It was good emotion though. Tough to go through but once I got the first frame, after that I was all right.
“Every game is different. With my technique, I’ve got a lot of movement on different shots but if I can keep that under control I can play half decent. It isn’t just about me though. It is how my opponent plays as well. I’m looking forward to playing Ding.”
On the other table, Zhang Anda staged a superb fightback to defeat Gary Wilson 6-5 and set up a meeting with World Champion Zhao Xintong.
York is a happy hunting ground for Zhang, who made a 147 in last year’s event. He came through qualifying to reach this year’s edition, beating Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the final round.
With the scores locked at 3-3, breaks of 65 and 91 helped Wilson to the verge of victory at 5-3.
Zhang won a tight ninth and then crafted a gutsy 77 to force a decider at 5-5. He controlled the last to get over the line and seal victory.
Zhang said: “Throughout the match, I felt mentally steady and didn’t worry too much about the result. Even when I was 5-3 down, I was just waiting him to give me a chance and I was ready to take it. That’s how I managed to come back.
“I don’t have high expectations for the next round. Since it is two Chinese players facing each other, we’ve already secured a spot in the quarter-finals, which is great. I just hope we can put on a good show and it isn’t one-sided, especially not on my end!”
During one of the sessions – I can’t remember which – Ronnie could be seen practicing in the background.
Australia’s 2010 World Champion Neil Robertson battled bast 22-year-old Julien Leclercq 6-2 to earn his place in the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.
The Melbourne cueman is hunting a fourth UK Championship crown, having lifted the famous trophy in 2013, 2015 and 2020. He enjoyed a massive win earlier this season at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, beating Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-9 in the final to pocket £500,000, the highest payday of his career.
Next up he faces an intriguing last 16 meeting with China’s International Champion Wu Yize. The pair met in last season’s English Open final, where Robertson led 7-1 before being pegged back to 8-7, eventually winning 9-7.
Defeat ends what has been a fine tournament for towering 6ft 5in potter Leclercq, nicknamed the Belgian Beast. The former-Shoot Out finalist won three matches in qualifying to make the final stages here in York for the first-time in his career.
The first two frames both went beyond the 25-minute barrier, with Robertson claiming them to move 2-1 ahead. Leclercq responded by claiming the third before a break of 105 gave 43-year-old Robertson a 3-1 lead at the mid-session.
When play resumed, Leclercq pulled one back to leave the match in the balance at 3-2. However, Robertson replied by claiming the sixth and the seventh before a break of 64 in the eighth helped him over the line.
Robertson said: “I rate Julien, he is a great talent and I’ve been keeping an eye on how he has been doing this season. He came through a great last round in the qualifiers and I was pleased for him to get this experience early on in his career because I think he will learn an awful lot from it.
“We exchanged numbers last season and talked about practising together. We never managed to match up the dates but I said to him after the game we definitely need to do it. There were a few moments in the match where if we were practising I’d have stopped him and explained a different shot. I think he will be far better for the experience.
“I remember playing Wu at the English Open. I was 8-2 up and cruising and I didn’t even attempt a pot in the next four frames. He just kept slamming in all of these balls and let the arm go. He is the next superstar from China, there seems to be quite a lot of them at the moment. It is good to see that with the investment China has put into the sport, we are starting to see a handful of superstar players.”
On the other table, Wu held off an excellent fightback from Michael Holt to eventually emerge with a 6-4 triumph.
Wu’s victory at the recent International Championship came after he scored a stunning 10-6 win over John Higgins in the final.
Breaks of 55, 78, 82 and 81 exemplified a continuation of that form today as he burst 5-0 ahead. However, four on the bounce from Notthingham’s Holt saw him move right back into contention.
It was ultimately to no avail, with Wu taking the tenth to avoid a deciding frame and set up his meeting with Robertson.
Wu said: “I was quite pleased with myself in the first half, because i took my chances. I made some simple mistakes , but I think it’s acceptable. My opponent managed to win four consecutive frames and I wasn’t playing well.
“It was a fantastic experience, the player introductions was the best part. I stepped out and went down the stairs, it felt like i was going into a final. And the audience were so passionate, every seat was taken. I really enjoyed that moment.
“Neil Robertson is a great player. I will just try to enjoy myself in the match, because I feel like I have been playing well lately.”
Of course I watched the Julien v Neil match, and, of course I was supporting Julien but I have no complaints. Neil is a player, and a person, I like and admire. He loves his sport with a passion and I’m sure his offer to Julien about practicing together is genuine. Neil would coach the Martians if he thought it could develop snooker further across the universe! Wu is also a player I like, therefore the match between Neil and him will inevitably feel “bittet sweet” to me.
World number four Mark Williams rallied after a mid-session trip to the practice room to beat David Gilbert 6-4 and make the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.
The Welshman wasn’t happy with his performance at the break, despite being level with former Crucible semi-finalist Gilbert at 2-2. However, after a hit during the interval with coach Lee Walker, he was much happier with his play in the second half of the game.
50-year-old Williams became the oldest ever winner of a ranking event earlier this season after a 10-3 demolition of Shaun Murphy in the Xi’an Grand Prix final. He’ll be hoping he can break his own record this week by picking up a third UK title and first since 2002.
Williams made his move at 2-2 this evening with breaks of 89 and 73 helping him to three on the bounce and a 5-2 lead.
Gilbert replied with runs of 100 and 50 to pull within one, but it was Williams who got over the line by taking the tenth. Afterwards he reflected on the impact of his interval session with Walker
“We had a bust up! I came off worse,” joked Williams. “No, I don’t play much at home but when I am at the venue I practise as much as I can.
“We are working on a couple of things. Just easy things like screwing the black off the spot with a bit of side I struggle with. Yesterday, somehow I worked out how to do it! It has taken me a long time. We will keep trucking on and trying.
“Before the interval it was poor, but after the interval it was really good. It could have gone 5-5 at the end but I’m happy to get over the line. I potted some tricky balls to win that last frame so that was good.
“I’m only the oldest ranking event winner for the time being. John Higgins or Ronnie O’Sullivan will probably win one and overtake me. It is amazing how I’m still winning tournaments and beating someone like Shaun Murphy 10-3 is unbelievable. I just have to pat myself on the back.”
On the other table, Pang Junxu overcame Chinese compatriot Xiao Guodong 6-2 to set up a last 16 encounter with Williams.
Pang’s mum flew over from China to watch her son compete in the UK for the first time and it was a happy outcome for both this evening. Afterwards he admitted the presence of his mother was a boost and looked ahead to facing Williams.
Pang said: “Neither of us played well tonight and Xiao was unlucky. On the other hand, I was a bit lucky and it helped me to pull through the tougher moments.
“I am happy my mum was able to watch me in the UK for the first time. I think it helped me to focus on the match and I’m excited that I got the win.
“I played Mark once before and lost really badly. I hope I will be able to play much better and make less mistakes. I want to make sure this is a close match and that I don’t let him win easily.”
Imagining the “bust up” between Willo and Lee Walker made me smile. I must have been epic but by no way “dangerous”. These two as as close friends as close can be and if anyone happened to hurt Lee Walker, I’m sure that person would soon learn, or be reminded, that Mark Williams has two fists and isn’t too bad at boxing.
There was a really good crowd at the Barbican in York yesterday, which is good to see. It made for a great atmosphere. It used to be that way in the past until WST tried to get all 128 players at the main venue. That didn’t work well. In the early rounds, four tables were squeezed in a back room. There were chairs there for the fans but as they were all standing at the same level you didn’t see much of the table situation unless you are very tall and sitting in the front row. Four other tables were in the main venue, and players complained that the tables extreme left and right were too close to the walls there wasn’t enough space to “walk into the shot”. Also there were no adequate changing facilities for the players. But I digress …
Here are the reports by WST on what happened yesterday at the Barbican:
Defending champion Judd Trump prevailed 6-4 in an entertaining clash with 2004 winner Stephen Maguire on the opening afternoon of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.
World number one Trump won the title in terrific fashion 12 months ago. He overcame a treacherous path to the final, beating Neil Robertson, John Higgins, Zhang Anda and Kyren Wilson. A fiercely title match with Barry Hawkins was won 10-8 by the Ace in the Pack.
Despite having now been on top of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings for over 12 months, he hasn’t lifted silverware since victory here last December. The calendar year of 2025 is yet to produce silverware for Trump, the last time that happened was 2013.
This week marks his last opportunity to avoid the same fate. In a bid to improve his fortunes he has reverted to the cue he won the 2019 World Championship win. Trump had previously switched to a new cue with a titanium ferrule rather than the traditional brass one.
Maguire held the famous UK Championship trophy aloft 21 years ago back in 2004. However, despite making two finals since then, he is yet to repeat the feat.
Although that wait doesn’t end this week, victory at the season opening Championship League and a run to the semi-finals of the International Championship have exhibited a return to form for the Glaswegian.
Breaks of 62 and 100 helped 36-year-old Trump to three of the first four frames and a 3-1 lead at the mid-session today.
When play resumed, Maguire hit back hammered home runs of 111 and 82 to restore parity at 3-3. He had a chance to take the lead in the seventh, but a straightforward red to the middle inexplicably missed the target and Trump pounced with 66 to lead 4-3.
A dramatic re-spotted black went Trump’s way to move him one from victory, before Maguire responded with 86 to claw back within one. However, 62 from Trump in the tenth saw him over the line to earn a last 16 meeting with Si Jiahui.
“It was a tough game, there was a lot of good stuff, there was a lot of misses. It was a classic UK Championship game really. I knew he had been back to form this year and he was always going to be tough to beat,” said 36-year-old Trump.
“At the moment I’m just missing that one percent of confidence under the utmost pressure. You need to have that belief, it isn’t quite there at the moment. When you beat players like Stephen, it helps and the form is coming back.
“I feel a lot better with this cue. I’ve been trying my absolute hardest but sometimes you know it isn’t going to be your day. I felt I had to change to give myself a chance. There are so many snooker tournaments these days that you don’t have much time to tinker. I have some time off after this event and I hope I’ll then find the right equipment for the rest of the season.”
On the other table, China’s Si set up his meeting with Trump thanks to a stunning 6-0 whitewash defeat of Welshman Ryan Day.
Si prevailed in his last meeting with Trump, which came at the 2024 Wuhan Open. Trump described it as one of the best ever performances against him, which included a 147 from Si. However, Trump has won all six of their other meetings.
Today’s win saw Si hammer home breaks of 61, 80 and 68 en route to a routine win.
Si said: “Very few tournaments would introduce the players like here, so every time I feel quite excited. I love the passion and the applause from the audience, so I really enjoy playing here.
“I won’t put too much pressure on myself, just relax and play. But I’m very happy to see other Chinese players winning titles, it does motivate me to do my best, to win my first ranking event.”
It was indeed an entertaining match on table 1. Stephen Maguire is a tremendous player and although I’m not a fan of using that word, yes, he is probably an underachiever. But then, of course, we don’t know what happens in the players’ lives away from the table. All the same, I like Stephen, he’s genuine, he speaks his mind without fear … he’s plain WYSIWYG1 .
Scotland’s John Higgins admitted he is plotting a trip with the Tartan Army to the World Cup next year after booking his passage in the second round of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship with a 6-2 win over Ben Woollaston.
The Glaswegian is competing in this event for the 33rd time in his career. He’s a three-time UK Champion, but York’s not been a happy hunting ground in recent times. Higgins hasn’t been beyond the last 16 since 2019. Standing in the way of the quarter-finals this time will be Shaun Murphy.
Despite his recent UK Championship record, Higgins arrives in good form having made the final of the recent International Championship in Nanjing, where he lost out to Wu Yize in the final.
Higgins says he’s still on cloud nine after celebrating Scotland’s 4-2 win over Denmark last week, which sealed World Cup qualification for the first time since 1998. The year he won the first of his four world titles to date.
Today’s defeat of Woollaston saw Higgins charge out of the blocks. Breaks of 66, 51, 84 and 58 saw him move into a 5-0 lead and one from the win.
Woollaston showed his steel and provided resistance in the sixth. Higgins was in first with 58, but a fine clearance of 70 saw the Leicester cueman steal on the black and keep the game alive. He then made it 5-2 with 65 in the seventh and apply some pressure. However, Higgins stood up to it and took a 21-minute eighth to get over the line.
“I’m hoping to come here and play well. It is a tough match with Shaun Murphy next but I’m into the tournament now. I’m going home for a couple of days then I’ll come back down and get ready for that match,” said 50-year-old Higgins.
“Shaun hits the ball like a dream. I managed to get the better out of him in Nanjing the last time we played but he beat me a couple of times before that. It is always a nice game. He goes for his shots and when you see that it makes you do it too. I can’t wait for it.
“Scotland qualifying for the World Cup has just given the country such a lift. Hopefully I will be out in a city in Mexico, Canada or America in the summer. I’d dearly love to go. The amount of people you speak to and they are all trying to get flights booked up. It will be an incredible atmosphere.
“One of the guys I went to Paris with in 1998 is no longer with us and it makes you think what a long time ago it was. A lot of things have passed under the bridge since then. It is great we are there again and I’d love to go and savour it again.”
On the other table, Murphy set up his mouth watering meeting with Higgins after taking five frames on the trot to defeat Lyu Haotian 6-2.
The Magician was trailing 2-1 when he stepped up with breaks of 58 and 63 on his way to moving 4-2 ahead. There was then a 147 attempt in the seventh, but his run ended on 80. It was enough to seal the frame and a contribution of 57 in the next saw the 2005 World Champion secure victory.
Murphy is also in fine form having won the British Open earlier this season and is savouring going toe to toe with Higgins.
Murphy said: “I was sat this morning having my breakfast watching the news and there was a lovely piece about the Class of 92. There is no escaping these guys and what they continue to achieve is remarkable. I’ve enjoyed watching John throughout my career. He has been a big help to me and helped me a lot as a junior player. I have watched him a lot, I just hope I don’t have to watch him too much in the next round!
“It has shown what the rest of us can do if we keep our heads down. When I started snooker you used to think your career would be over by 40. The Class of 92 have been trailblazers all of their lives and they continue to do that.”
In the evening I watched part of the Murphy v Lyu game. Shaun won the match by 6-2 with five breaks over 50 and yet the match was closer than what those numbers suggest. Lyu had chances in every frame, he potted some good balls but, for some reason, he appeared to struggle with his positional game and, of course, eventually it cost him. He isn’t the tallest guy and had to play a lot of shots with the rest. He’s not bad at it but it’s not the same as playing “naturally” without the implement.
SELBY DEFEATS WORLD NO.1 TO CLAIM FIRST CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS TITLE | 2025 SPORTSBET.IO CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS
Mark Selby produced a career-defining performance in front of an electrified home crowd at the Mattioli Arena, defeating World No.1 Judd Trump 10–5 to claim the 2025 Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions title — his first in the prestigious event.
Reflecting on the triumph, Selby said: “To win this title, here at home, means absolutely everything. Judd is the benchmark in the sport right now — you know you can’t give him an inch. I had to be solid from the first ball to the last. The atmosphere pushed me all the way, and lifting this trophy in Leicester is something I’ll never forget.
It was a final steeped in history as much as ambition — the first time Selby and Trump had contested a title since the 2011 China Open, where a young Judd Trump announced himself by claiming the first ranking trophy of his career. And from the very first shots in Leicester, it was clear this latest chapter would be worthy of the rivalry.
Trump struck first with a clinical 111 to take the opener, but Selby hit back immediately with a century of his own, a composed 102 to level. A missed cut on the black from Selby handed Trump the third frame, and the World No.1 followed it up with another century to stretch his lead to 3–1.
Selby, refusing to be shaken, capitalised on a safety error to reduce the deficit before punishing a missed long red from Trump with a run of 99 to pull level at 3–3. A tense, tactical seventh frame tipped Selby’s way as he moved ahead for the first time, and he doubled his advantage moments later, outmanoeuvring Trump in another cagey battle for 5–3.
Trump responded with intent, closing the gap to one after Selby failed to escape a snooker, and then levelling the match again following yet another tight safety exchange. But Selby struck back, edging a tense tenth frame to retake the lead before an in-off from Trump in the next allowed the Leicester man to extend the gap once more.
From there, Selby surged.
A brilliant 138 — the highest break of the tournament — pushed him 8–5 ahead. Riding a wave of momentum and crowd energy, he closed out the match in spectacular fashion, producing back-to-back centuries of 101 and 136 to seal a commanding 10–5 victory and lift the Champion of Champions trophy for the first time.
Selby began the week as Leicester’s favourite; he ended it as Leicester’s champion. A perfect, poetic finish.
Selby Beats Trump To Become Champion Of Champions For First Time
Mark Selby landed the Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions title for the first time, and ended a nine-month barren streak, as he pulled away from 5-5 to beat Judd Trump 10-5 in the final.
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Four-time Crucible king Selby had never previously reached the final of this event but this time in Leicester he rose to the occasion in front of his home fans, knocking out Stephen Maguire, Mark Williams and Neil Robertson before dominating the second half of the final against world number one Trump, finishing in superb style with three consecutive century breaks.
It’s a first title for 42-year-old Selby since the Welsh Open in February and by far his highlight of the 2025/26 season so far as he had previously not reached a final. He will now go into the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship later this month with a massive confidence boost.
Trump, who remains without a title in 2025, held an early 3-1 lead with breaks of 111, 73 and 114, despite a 102 from his opponent in frame two. Selby then hit back with 70, 99, 65 and 64 to go 5-3 ahead, before Trump’s 71 gave him the last frame of the afternoon session.
Bristol’s Trump won the first of the evening session, then Selby took the 11th for 6-5, before crucially getting the better of a safety battle on the final pink in the 12th to extend his lead. A tremendous 138 total clearance, the highest break of the tournament, left Selby 8-5 up as they headed for the interval.
And Selby maintained his momentum when they returned as breaks of 101 and 132 allowed him to fly past the winning post.
“This event is only for the best players and it was a privilege to play Judd in the final,” said Selby, the tenth different winner in ten tournaments so far this season. “I played well from start to finish and I knew I had to because Judd is the man to beat. I have felt good about my game for the last few days, I have found something and I know I have to stick with it. It’s a while since I have felt like that so it was great to play to that standard in a big final.“
Trump, who lost 9-8 to Jack Lisowski in last month’s Northern Ireland Open final, appeared to suggest that he will ditch the cue he has used since the start of the current season. “I couldn’t win with that cue,” he said. “I gave it my all today, but I just can’t get used to it, I didn’t know where to aim. There are no excuses and congratulations to Mark because he was the best player all week and deserved to win. He scored very heavily, his safety was good and he showed why he is one of the all-time greats.“
“No excuses” he said …. before immediately blaming the cue 😇. Seriously, I’m just “teasing” here. Changing ones cue is not always straightforward, we know that.
Mark Selby was the better player all week, no doubts. He is the local boy and the crowd supported him throughout which probably helped. But it only helped because Mark was playing well. When a player struggles, the crowd willing them to win sometimes only adds pressure and makes things harder for them.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 