Mark Selby sets up Ding Junhui final clash after beating Ronnie O’Sullivan: 2012 Welsh Open
Former World Snooker Championship finalist, England’s Mark Selby ended Ronnie O’Sullivan’s bid to claim the second consecutive major ranking title win.
The Leicester potter cruised into the semi-final victory over the Rocket quite easily by the score line of 6-2. Selby will be meeting China’s Ding Junhui in the final clash of the 2012 Welsh Open at the Newport Centre arena in Newport, Wales.
Despite having one of the toughest opponents before him at the table, Selby did not shake even a bit and played in his natural form. The Jester from Leicester dominated the baize in the final session and claimed the match to relive his first ranking final
victory over the Wordsley potter, O’Sullivan. Selby won his first major ranking title defeating O’Sullivan 9-8 in the final of 2008 Welsh Open.
The World Number one played with the same gritty style that O’Sullivan disliked. After winning over Judd Trump, O’Sullivan slagged off Selby’s playing style saying that his style is a bit clumsy and slow which does not suit him. However, Selby proved the
Magician wrong and cleaned him 6-2 after compiling excellent knocks of 84, 57, 22 and 21.
After a 20-minute safety display from both potters, Selby drew the first blood pocketing a fine clearance of 84 to grab 1-0 lead in the match. The 36-year-old O’Sullivan replied brilliantly with a cracking 80-poin clearance to triumph in the second set to
pull level at 1-1.
The Essex Exocet, with a couple of small breaks, grabbed the third frame lead at 50-34 but at the brink of winning the frame, he missed a red and Selby took the frame easily to lead 2-1 again. The former three-time World Snooker Champion bounced back into
the game again in the fourth frame and easily trounced it to equalise the scores again at 2-2.
The World Number 14 was in a strong position when he led the fifth frame 54-6 but unfortunately, he missed a crucial red to let Selby on the baize who cleared the table with a 57-point run to lead 3-2. After that, the 28-year-old Selby clinched three consecutive
frames hitting a couple of small breaks to win the semi-final 6-2.
The Shanghai Masters champion will next meet Ding Junhui in the final battle. The Chinese defeated Shaun Murphy in the first semi-final by the same score line, 6-2.
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