Mark Selby holds off Shaun Murphy to claim fourth world snooker title
- Selby seals fourth world title to match John Higgins’ Crucible haul
Selby punched the air after sinking the final black under immense pressure to join John Higgins as a four-time champion.
The 37-year-old had endured a torrid time after winning his previous crown in 2017, crashing out in the first round as defending champion and surrendering his status as world No 1 after going over two-and-a-half years without a British-based ranking title.
Selby strode out for the final session with a 14-11 advantage, but well aware of the danger posed by Murphy, who had roared into the final in the kind of free-flowing form that evoked memories of his charge to the title as a fresh-faced qualifier in 2005.
After Selby moved to within one frame of victory, Murphy produced back-to-back centuries to set up a nervy finale.
He came close to taking another after Selby broke down on a break of 38 in the next, but a difficult red down the cushion proved a step too far, and Selby duly cleared up.