Mark Selby beats Graeme Dott in quarter-final of 2011 Welsh Open – Snooker news
Former world champion Graeme Dott has lost his battle against Mark Selby by a frame score of 5-3 in the quarter-final of the 2011 Welsh Open.
It was a best-of-eleven frame match which was scrappy all the way and the players were not happy with the stuff they produced. The balls were running safe and chances were missed by both.
The first chance in the opening frame fell to Selby and he raced to 30-0 before playing safe. Later on, another 23 from his side took him on a lead of 53-0. Dott on getting chance failed to pot but did come up with good safety. After a bout of safety,
Selby got a chance again and with adding another 15 to his score took the opener 1-0. In the second frame, Dott was not given even a single red as Selby after making 11 dominated the frame with a break of 73 going even ahead by 2-0.
Selby took the third frame as well but it went a bit lengthy as Selby missed an easy blue in the centre while trying to bring cue ball all the way around the table. Afterwards poor work was seen by Selby-Dott. Dott got a chance but missed a straightforward
green. However, eventually Selby came out on top of safety exchange to pocket his 3rd in row 3-0.
It was looking as if Dott is going to spend his weekend home before he bounced back and took the next two frames bringing life back into the match. He made a 62 in the fourth and a quick 26 and 47 after the interval in the fifth to trail Selby by 3-2.
Mark Selby also roared back in the next and took the sixth in his first visit by making a classy break of 88 boosting his confidence and stepped up the gear to lead 4-2.
Dott who was trying to win three frames in a row got an early blow when he went out of position while 18-0 ahead and was forced to play safe. Selby was left with a half-chance red over the pocket which he missed. Dott nipped it in extending his lead
to 50-0 before going out of position. However, Dott later on creped to lead 60-0 and left Selby in snookers which he failed to find. Dott wrapped things up and got back to within one frame 4-3.
The eighth frame was full of safety shots from both when after 10 minutes Selby broke the deadlock and showed an excellent long pot of pink opening up the reds. That was a superb shot but eventually had to play safe. Dott could not get anything going
before another cracking long pot from Selby resulted well enough for the match’s win at 5-3.
The overall score line was 68-6, 84-0, 64-52, 36-74, 35-74, 35-74, 88-0, 30-65, and 87-21.
The Jester from Leicester is now through to the semi-final where he will now face Stephen Maguire on February 19, 2011.
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