• UK Championship

Robertson fights back to clinch UK Championship title

Neil Robertson came back from 5-1 down to clinch the UK Championship crown from Mark Selby © PA Photos

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Neil Robertson came back from 5-1 down to beat defending champion Mark Selby 10-7 and clinch the UK Championship title, becoming only the eighth player to complete a UK triple crown.

Selby led 5-3 after the first session at York's Barbican Centre, which included a superb 130 clearance. World No. 1 Robertson responded from a 5-1 deficit to claw back two frames and take the momentum into Sunday's evening session.

The champion took the first frame of the second session, but Robertson soon clicked into gear with a superb showing of potting; breaks of 56, 122 and 132 saw the Australian take three consecutive frames without Selby registering a point.

Two further frames followed as Robertson then led for the first time in the match, but Selby sunk a marvellous 74 to keep hope of retaining his title alive.

The turning point came in a tight 16th frame, with both players needing the black to claim it. Selby missed and left the ball over the pocket for Robertson to finish and move within one of the title.

A break of 57 was enough for Robertson to seal victory and join a select number of players who have completed the triple crown of UK trophies, having already won the World Championship and UK Masters.

"To become the first overseas player to win all three is a fantastic feeling," Robertson told BBC Sport. "Mark in the first session was too good for me today.

"Tonight I came out 6-3 down and I just had to play good snooker to get back in. When I beat John Higgins in the Wuxi Classic, I said the way I played was the best, but today was definitely the best I have played in a final.

"When I came over to England, Ding Junhui and I turned professional at same time, and to get the triple crown ahead of him is a fantastic achievement."

Selby said: "I played sort of OK in the first session. Tonight I was very poor, to be fair I didn't deserve to win. I had more than my fair share of chances. I didn't take them and Neil did. If I had potted the black to make it 8-8, I probably didn't deserve it. I've been quite poor this week so to get to the final is a good achievement." Meanwhile, Selby will defend his Masters title against Mark Davis after the first round draw was made during a mid-session interval. The Masters take place at London's Alexandra Palace in January.

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