Mark Selby clinches number 1 spot in the World Snooker Rankings after winning 2011 Shanghai Masters
England’s Mark Selby grabbed the top spot in the overall World Snooker Rankings after winning his second ranking title of the current season in 2011 Shanghai Masters at Shanghai Grand
Stage on Saturday, September 10. The Englishman defeated former world number one, Mark Williams from Wales after a tough battle.
Selby has taken the number one rank for the first time in his career after a superb performance in the 2011 Shanghai Masters snooker tournament in China. The Jester from Leicester was
at third place before entering the Chinese snooker event. He played outstandingly throughout the tournament to finally take the glory, beating one of the top snooker guns in the final.
Mark the Shark started his Shanghai Masters run quite brilliantly, beating compatriot Nigel Bond by the scoreline of 5-3 in the first round. He whitewashed Jamie Cope in the second round
by 5-0 to set up a Shaun Murphy clash in the quarter-finals. The quarter-final match was a real test of Selby’s snooker skills but he managed to survive Murphy's fury and ousted him 5-4 in the end.
Beating Murphy 5-4 brought him into the final stages of the tournament where he played Mark King in the semi-final. The match was yet another easy victory for the 28-year-old Selby, as
he completely outplayed King and took the encounter by 6-0 to book his final spot against the Welsh Potting Machine, Mark Williams.
Selby faced strong resistance from the Welsh potter but managed to survive during the match. At one time Selby seemed down and out when Williams took four consecutive frames to seal the
victory. But Selby gathered some courage and sprang back into the game to unsettle his opponent and triumphed over Williams by the score line of 10-9.
Selby’s superb victory in the 2011 Shanghai Masters has shot him to the top of the world snooker standings. He has replaced Mark Williams, who grabbed the top spot after 2011 World Snooker
Championship. The Englishman is quite excited to have taken the number one place which is like a dream come true for him.
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