Selby gives a Wembley Masterclass
Mark Selby was crowned the 2010 Pokerstars.com Masters Champion after a gripping final frame win over Ronnie O'Sullivan
Apart winning the opening frame of the match, Selby trailed O'Sullivan throughout the afternoon session, finishing 5-3 behind.
At the half way stage of the evening session Selby was still two adrift at 7-5 down. And at 9-6 down it looked like O'Sullivan had the match at his mercy.
But that didn't take account of the Selby grit. He battled back into the match to earn a final frame decider.
The 'Jester' knocked in a thunderous long red and made 27 before losing position. O'Sullivan played a poor safety, hitting the blue, and that gave Selby the opportunity to carve out a further 37 break to leave him 65 ahead with 59 on. When O'Sullivan missed a red he immediately turned and offered his hand to Selby.
Both players received a rapturous welcome into the final arena and not surprisingly it took a while to settle. The first frame of the afternoon was the scrappiest of the whole match. Selby won it, but without any big breaks.
From there on the standard was sublime. O'Sullivan levelled with a run of 56 and then fired in 86 and 122 to lead 3-1 at the first interval.
O'Sullivan got first chance in the fifth after Selby missed a red and added another century, 101 to stretch his lead to 4-1.
That seemed to spur Selby on and he responded with 83 and then a ton of his own, 112, but was disappointed to miss a black with a possible 141 available, which would have been the high break of the week.
Selby could, and maybe should, have won the last of the afternoon. He got the better of a lengthy safety exchange and made 33 before losing position. Then he left a red on from his safety and O'Sullivan made 54, before missing a pink to the centre. That left him 21 up on the yellow, but Selby missed it and O'Sullivan cleared up to take a 5-3 lead into the evening session.
The atmosphere was electric with over 2,000 people cramming into the Wembley Arena. A marvellous ovation greeted both players.
Selby got straight down to cutting back O'Sullivan's lead. A mis hit safety by O'Sullivan let Selby in to make 54. And Selby's tight safety forced another error and he added 58 to cut his arrears to one frame.
A missed red down the rail with the rest by Selby gave his opponent the chance to counter attack and O'Sullivant slotted home a peerless 92 break to regain his two frame buffer.
But a poor break off in the next by the defending champion gifted Selby an opening and he rattled in 136.
In the twelth frame Selby was first in, after a re-rack, but he over ran his position on 37 and covered all the colours. He got a good safety but after an exchange of safety shots O'Sullivan potted a sublime red to the centre pocket and ran in 49. He couldn't get on the last red but got a snooker and the chance to close out the frame to lead 7-5.
Back came Selby again. O'Sullivan's break off left a long red, which Selby slotted home, going on to compile a frame winnng 78.
But whatever Selby did O'Sullivan matched him and again he opened the two frame gap. This time an early run of 41 and then a good safety which enabled him to clear with 89.
For the first time O'Sullivan put clear water between himself and Selby. He stormed through the fifteenth frame with a brilliant break of 91 to lead 9-6, just one frame from retaining his title.
O'Sullivan totally mis-hit an attempted plant in the next, and Selby's 62 was enough to take the frame.
When O'Sullivan missed on only 8 in frame sixteen, Selby slotted a good opening red and made 109, to keep himself in the match.
It should have been all over in the next frame. Selby made 45 but missed a red. O'Sullivan could only make 22 before losing position, but he produced a brilliant safety shot which left Selby 'angled' by the baulk pocket. He missed twice, hit the red third time but left it on. O'Sullivan doubled a red to keep a break of 28 going but with the match at his mercy he missed the yellow, playing it left handed from distance.
Three times O'Sullivan got a snooker but Selby escaped. O'Sullivan got the yellow but didn't get any sort of position on the green. He attempted to cut it across to the yellow pocket but left it on and Selby took a deep breath and cleared the colours to send the match into the final frame.
The presentation party included Jimmy White, who got a great cheer from the London crowd, the new WSA Chairman Barry Hearn and the sponsors Pokerstars.com.
Selby pocketed a cheque for £150,000, which takes his career earnings over the £1 million mark.
O'Sullivan paid tribute to Selby after the match saying ""He played well, and deserved win. I never got a look in the last four frames.
"I didn't even expect to get to the final - so I can't be too disappointed."
Selby said "To play Ronnie here in this atmosphere is a dream come true. You need the run of the balls a bit to come back from three frames down.
"That's the best final I've ever been in, The atmosphere is great when Ronnie O'Sullivan plays. I just dug in and thought I would just scrap it out.
"I love the atmosphere and seem to thrive on it. Hopefully this will kick-start my season."
