Mark Selby scored a sensational 6-0 whitewash defeat of Ronnie O’Sullivan and blitzed to a place in the semi-finals of the Johnstone’s Paint Players Championship in Telford.
It was the first ranking event meeting between these illustrious rivals since the 2020 Scottish Open final where Selby scored another emphatic win, on that occasion by a 9-3 scoreline.
However, 41-time ranking event winner O’Sullivan still holds a 17-12 head-to-head advantage in meetings between the pair.
Victory this evening sends Selby into the semi-finals of a ranking event for the 62nd time in his career. The four-time World Champion will play either John Higgins or Zhang Anda in the semis on Saturday night.
Defeat for O’Sullivan ends a 16-game winning streak. The seven-time Crucible king has been in imperious form this season. He came into this week having won consecutive events at the UK Championship, the Masters and the World Grand Prix. However, the Rocket was brought to a shuddering halt by Selby this evening.
The first five frames were completely dominated by Selby, who fired in breaks of 65, 91 81, 105 and 59 en route to moving one from victory. The final frame saw O’Sullivan establish a 58-0 lead, but Selby clawed his way back, aided by a stunning long range red to top right. He eventually took it on the black to complete the whitewash.
“If you can’t get up for playing Ronnie with a full crowd, which he always brings, then you are in the wrong game. That is where you want to test yourself. You see where your game is at when you are put against the best. At the moment my game seems to be in a good place.”
Mark Selby
22-time Ranking Event Winner
Selby added: “It is incredible really. I’m happy to win of course, but the way I did it was quite pleasing. I felt as though I was in control of myself and felt confident out there. I thought I was going to score when I got the chance and I did.
“Whoever I play, I’ll enjoy the occasion. If I play John, we’ve had so many great battles and I have so much respect for him as a player and a person. Anda has been one of the form players this season. It has been outstanding the way he has played.”