Selby overcomes Higgins to win Championship League group as Wilson makes 147

ByEurosport

Published 06/02/2024 at 23:56 GMT

Mark Selby enjoyed the home comforts of Leicester on Tuesday as he completed two 3-0 wins over Kyren Wilson and John Higgins to win Group 3 of the Championship League at the city’s Morningside Arena. Selby had lost 3-2 to Higgins in the group stage, but atoned for that defeat in some style in their final rematch. Earlier in the day, Wilson made the fifth maximum 147 of his career against Tom Ford.

Watch: Selby’s 800th career century at the World Open in full

Mark Selby produced breaks of 123, 99 and 72 to complete a convincing 3-0 victory over fellow four-time world champion John Higgins and win Championship League Group 3 in his home city of Leicester on Tuesday night.

Selby reached the final with breaks of 65 and 128 helping him to a 3-0 semi-final victory over Kyren Wilson, who earlier in the day produced the fifth maximum 147 of his career and the 197th of the professional era in the third frame of a 3-2 win over another local favourite in Tom Ford.

Higgins topped the section on frames won with Selby and Wilson also enjoying four wins from six group games in the invitational event.

Neil Robertson claimed fourth place in the section with three wins from six matches, but was overwhelmed by a heavy-scoring display by Higgins in their semi-final with the Scotsman producing knocks of 109 and 130 in a 3-0 win.

“I felt like over the two days I’ve played, scored well when I’ve taken my chances,” said Selby, who will join Stuart Bingham and Chris Wakelin in the winners’ group next month.

“The Championship League is great practice – I feel like I’ve been struggling lately to get results. To have a lot of matches, even though it’s a short format, it keeps you on tour toes.

“Even if I hadn’t have won the group, I wouldn’t have been too disappointed as we’d have had another couple of days, but it’s nice to get to the winners’ group.”

Higgins, Wilson, Robertson and Xiao Guodong return to contest Group 4 on Wednesday and Thursday alongside Barry Hawkins, Ricky Walden and Jimmy Robertson.

Gary Wilson and Ford are both eliminated from the competition.

The champion from each group progresses to the winners’ group on March 1 and 2, with the other top four players continuing to Group 4 as the bottom two players are eliminated at the end of each group.

The winner of the Championship League also earns a spot in the Champion of Champions later this year.

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