Mark Selby records first ever World Championship final 147 maximum break in front of Roy Keane
Mark Selby records first EVER World Cup final 147 maximum break 40 years after first ever maximum at the Crucible…as Manchester United legend Roy Keane looks on
- Selby made history as the first player to make a maximum break of 147 in the final
- He joins nine other legends as one of 10 players to make a maximum 147 break
- Selby shares the prize money with Kyren Wilson, who also made a break of 147
Mark Selby raised the Crucible after becoming the first man to max out in the World Cup final.
The four-time champion put his ear to the crowd and led a Mexican wave as he completed his historic 147 in the penultimate frame of the first day of his final with Luca Brecel, whom he trailed 9-8.
Selby’s sensational performance comes 40 years after Cliff Thorburn’s famous first maximum at the Crucible. And it’s the second 147 of this year’s tournament after Kyren Wilson got one against Ryan Day in the first round.
It was an extraordinary effort from Selby, especially as he had entered this final just 12 hours after his victory over Mark Allen in the marathon semi-final.
The second seed lost the first three frames against Brecel on Sunday and trailed 6-2 after the afternoon session. But after trailing 9-5 in the evening as well, he clawed his way back.
Mark Selby made a maximum break of 147 in the World Snooker Championship final
Luca Brecel hugged his opponent after the historic moment at the Crucible
Selby’s maximum made it 9-7 and he stuck his tongue out after pocketing the last little finger before slamming into the air as he sank the black before hugging Brecel and umpire Brendan Moore, who was serving in his last match ever.
The 39-year-old then controlled himself to win the final frame of the night and will enter the action as favorite on Monday to claim his fifth Crucible crown.
He would become only the fourth player in the Crucible era to win five or more world titles, after Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Steve Davis.
“The vibe when I potted that last black was electric,” said Selby, who is the 10th player to hit a 147 at the Crucible and now shares the £55,000 bonus on offer with Wilson. “It was good to give the audience some banter back.
“I didn’t think about the maximum until I reached 72. I just wanted to win the frame to get back into the game.
“That red with the rest on 72 was where it could have gone wrong. But after I pocketed that, I felt like I was going to clean up.
Manchester United legend Roy Keane was in attendance and applauded Selby during the final
“It’s hard enough to get a 147 here let alone in a final. But it was amazing how calm I felt.”
Selby’s 147 stole the show, but Brecel will still be pleased with his performance in his first final.
The Belgian Bullet is aiming to become mainland Europe’s first world champion and only the fourth non-British winner in modern times, after Canada’s Thorburn, Ireland’s Ken Doherty and Australia’s Neil Robertson.
In the crowd is none other than Manchester United legend Roy Keane, who rose to applaud Selby before re-seating to watch the rest of the final.
