• UK Championship

Selby sinks Murphy to scoop UK title

Mark Selby held his nerve to beat Shaun Murphy © PA Photos

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Mark Selby lifted his maiden UK Championship title after producing a late charge to defeat Shaun Murphy 10-6 in York.

The finalists could not be separated after the opening 12 frames as they found themselves locked at 6-6 at the Barbican Centre. However, Selby won the final four frames to justify his status as world No. 1 with his third ranking title.

In the first all-English UK final in 20 years, Selby came out on top of a topsy-turvy encounter against his close friend. Muphy forged ahead on a number of occasions with some breathtaking snooker, only for Selby to grind his way back.

In a final devoid of century breaks, the world No. 1 opened up a 2-1 lead, but Murphy won three frames in a row courtesy of breaks of 83 and 98. As the opening session drew to a close, Selby took the final two frames to head into the evening session all square at 4-4.

A superb clearance of 65 got Murphy off to a flying start, but a number of missed shots proved costly for the 2008 champion as Selby kept himself in the contest.

Breaks of 50 and 98 saw Selby open up a two-frame advantage for the first time in the match, and after Murphy appeared to crumble as he missed a blue in the 15th frame, Selby ground out the victory to pick up the £125,000 winner's cheque.

"I am over the moon and it means a great deal. It makes it even more special to beat someone of Shaun's class," Selby told BBC Sport. "It was a strange game, it was not pretty. I was twitching all over the place.

"I never really give in until the last ball is potted and that is me all over. If I was not like that, I would not have got to the final."

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