Snooker: Mark Selby beats Shaun Murphy to claim maiden UK Championship title
Mark Selby celebrated his return to the top with a 10-6 win over Shaun Murphy at the UK Championship final.
Last Updated: 10/12/12 9:11pm
Selby had usurped Judd Trump at the summit by virtue of reaching Sunday's showdown but was able to mark his rise with victory in the biggest ranking event title of his career.
The 'Jester from Leicester' and the world No. 4 four split the opening eight frames of their final, with Selby taking the final two to avoid allowing 2008 winner Murphy building a sizeable lead.
From 4-4 at the end of the afternoon action they progressed to 6-6 - Murphy this time pulling level with breaks of 39 and 38 - by the evening mid-session interval to keep the best-of-19 clash in the balance.
But as a finish into the early hours of the morning loomed, Selby seized control and reeled off four straight frames, clipping in the blue to seal the trophy and a £125,000 winner's cheque.
"He's the hardest player on the tour by a mile," a gracious Murphy said. "He's a worthy No. 1 and he deserves it.
"I take confidence from the way I've played, I've played some good stuff and I got beat by the best in the world so it's not all bad."
Selby said: "I've over the moon; it means a great deal to beat someone of Shaun's class in the final as well.
"It's been tough for me over the last four, five months with my neck injury. It was a strange game, it wasn't pretty. But I never give in until the last ball potted - I wouldn't have got to the final otherwise."
