Mark Selby produced a stunning performance, defeating Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 to advance to the semi-finals of the Players Championship in Telford. Selby, a four-time world champion, compiled breaks of 65, 91, 81, 105, and 59 to race into a 5-0 lead. Despite O’Sullivan making his first half-century of the match in the sixth frame, Selby managed to overturn a 58-point deficit to seal his win. “To beat Ronnie in any tournament by any scoreline is a great victory, but to do it in the way I did – the safety was good, the long game was good, I was very, very pleased,” Selby said on ITV4. “The biggest thing for me is when I’m not winning, I tinker, but what I am doing now is what I need to be doing, whether I win or lose.”
Earlier on Thursday, Mark Allen celebrated his 38th birthday and 700th professional match with a 6-4 win over Welsh Open champion Gary Wilson. The Northern Irishman won three of the final four frames against Wilson and will now play Ali Carter in the semi-finals on Friday.
Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan had come into his quarter-final contest with Selby looking for his 17th consecutive match victory. The 48-year-old was also hoping to collect a fourth straight title, having won his past three events – the UK Championship, the Masters, and the World Grand Prix. However, Selby, who had not beaten O’Sullivan since the 2020 Scottish Open final, took advantage of some loose safety play from his opponent and dominated proceedings with some excellent tactical play and heavy scoring.
In a controversial opening to the match, referee Desislava Bozhilova failed to warn O’Sullivan in the first frame after a second missed attempt when he could see one side of a red. She swiftly realized her error, apologized to both players, and informed the 41-time ranking winner he would forfeit the frame if he did not hit a red with his next shot. O’Sullivan’s response was to smash into the reds, allowing Selby to clinch the frame with a break of 65 and establish his rhythm on the way to a memorable victory.
Additionally, this historic win for Mark Selby marks a significant moment in the world of snooker, solidifying his position as one of the greatest players in the sport’s history.
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