From Trenches to Triumph: Selby Dismantles World No.1 to Win Maiden Champion of Champions Title
Mark Selby captured the Champion of Champions title for the first time in his illustrious career, overcoming fellow Englishman Judd Trump in a gripping final that blended tactical endurance with bursts of brilliance. Playing in front of a passionate home crowd at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena, the 42-year-old four-time world champion demonstrated the full range of his trademark qualities—patience, precision, and unshakeable resilience—as he secured a 10–5 victory.
The contest began with Trump, the current world number one, asserting early authority. He raced into a 3–1 lead, producing two century breaks that suggested he might dominate the day. But as the match progressed, Selby deliberately steered the game into the kind of tactical trenches where he is most dangerous. What followed was a series of drawn-out safety exchanges that gradually sapped Trump’s rhythm and confidence.
This tactical approach echoed Selby’s semi-final encounter with Neil Robertson, in which he famously won a gruelling 63-minute frame decided on the final black. Against Trump, those same qualities resurfaced. Frame 10 featured a 25-minute scrap on the final red, and the next frame was even more attritional—25 consecutive shots exchanged over a single red buried in the pack. The threat of a re-rack loomed, but Selby’s immense concentration allowed him to seize the key moments and turn the tide firmly in his favour.
Once ahead, Selby unleashed the more attacking side of his game. A superb 138 break signalled his shift into top gear, and he followed it with three consecutive centuries, pulling decisively away as Trump—struggling with a cue he admitted he never fully settled with—began to falter. The victory meant Selby had won nine of the final eleven frames, a testament to both his tactical mastery and his clinical scoring.
Speaking afterward, Selby expressed pride and gratitude, calling the event “a privilege” and acknowledging Trump as “the man to beat.” Trump, meanwhile, was candid in defeat, conceding that Selby had been the best player throughout the week and fully deserving of the title.
For Selby, the triumph marked not only a significant milestone but also a reminder of his enduring class at the highest level of the sport.
