China Open 2011 - Selby books a place into the final

Mark Selby to meet Judd Trump in the final

Mark Selby is the name of the second player who reaches today’s final, "The Jester from Leicester" winning the battle against the local Chinese star, Ding Junhui 6-3.


Here we are! The line-up for the 2011Bank of Beijing China Open is set and ready for take off, as Mark Selby succeeded to defeat the one and only Ding Junhui in what was in the first part a fast match, and in the second one a genuine tactical battle.


A missed pink by Selby at the start of the first frame was going to give Ding a chance to come to the table for a 59 and for taking over the frame, but soon after that the scoreline was going to be turned into 3-1, in favor of the Englishman. Although in the next frame Mark stopped from building himself a higher break than a 25, due to the fact that he missed in potting a blue ball to the corner pocket, Ding didn’t take too much of an advantage of his mistake, the "Jester" returning to the table for a 46 that was leveling the match at 1-1. The next two frames were won by Selby with runs of 131 and 70 and so the boys entered their mid-session interval.

Ding Junhui`s run ends in the semi-final

After the break was over, the match seemed to be losing its speed, the players keeping it safe...almost too safe, because a re-rack was in order to happen. Sure that if Selby was one of the players this didn’t come as a shock! :-))) But this restarted fifth frame was proven to favor Ding, as the little Chinese won it with a break of 62 and used a marvelous 126 clearance to draw level at 3-3.
However, Mark succeeded in maintaining his lead as he took over the next frame with a break of 97, but from this moment on the match really lost its rhythm and lots of mistakes were made.


The eighth frame made its debut with a 56 hit by Selby, Ding receiving a chance to level the match, or should I say more than one chance. It was something like: Mark missed a red to the corner pocket, Ding missed a red too, then Mark missed a shot after collecting a few points, Ding being unable to stay at the table for more than five minutes. In the end the frame ended on the colors, the Chinese player being the one who needed a snooker, that he got by the way, Selby’s mistake granting him a free-ball. Still, Ding wasn’t able to clear all the necessary colors, in the end Selby winning after potting a tremendous blue.


As the score was going 5-3, the Leicester man was in need of just one more frame to reach the final and after a series of 30 and 28 the frame and match were concealed by Ding who admitted his defeat.


So today we have the big China Open final between Judd Trump and Mark Selby, the rule at hand being "the best of 19".


From 07:30 (UK time)
From 13:00 (UK time)


TV coverage:


Enjoy snooker, my dears! :-)