Triple Crown Grand Slam & Ranking Surge! Snooker UK Championship Report: Selby Defeats Trump 10-8 to Claim Title

On December 8th Beijing time, the Snooker UK Championship final wrapped up with a fierce clash between Trump and Selby. In the end, Selby held firm against Trump's resurgence to win 10-8, achieving the Triple Crown Grand Slam milestone and receiving a £250,000 reward. His world ranking also jumped significantly to sixth position!

Both Trump and Selby are post-80s players and Grand Slam champions, known as the "80s Five Tigers." They are considered the strongest two among them, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Trump has many minor ranking titles but fewer major wins, often labeled as fragile in big events. Selby, on the other hand, boasts numerous major titles, including four World Championships. Currently, Trump holds the world number one spot for a long time and is the defending UK champion. Selby is ranked 11th globally. In their past encounters, Trump leads but only slightly, making this match a thrilling showdown between the best offense and defense, highly anticipated by fans!

After the match began, Trump struggled in the first half with frequent unforced errors, allowing Selby to take full advantage by delivering a century break and four 50+ breaks, building a commanding 5-0 lead. Both players then won two frames each, bringing the score to 7-2. At a crucial moment, Trump finally awakened, showing great accuracy with two centuries and two 50+ breaks in a 5-1 comeback run to narrow the gap to 7-8. Selby then scored 77 points in a single visit to reach the match point at 9-7. Trump responded with a fragmented 82-31 to reduce the deficit to 8-9, keeping suspense alive. In the final frame, Trump’s risky attack left an opening, and Selby seized the opportunity with a 69-point break under pressure, effectively sealing the match and defeating the defending champion Trump 10-8 to claim the title!

This match was truly spectacular, a top-tier duel. Selby showed incredible resilience, overturning two frames early on to build a huge lead. Despite Trump's late surge, Selby held firm and clinched the championship in the chaotic 18th frame. Truly impressive—congratulations to Selby for completing the Triple Crown Grand Slam and becoming the first post-80s player to do so!

Written by / Sports Fiction