Selby rallies past O'Sullivan for 1st world title

Mark Selby raises aloft the trophy after victory over Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Snooker World Championship, Sheffield, UK, May 5, 2014. [Photo/icpress.cn]

SHEFFIELD - Mark Selby completed one of the great comebacks in world snooker championship history to beat two-time defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final for his maiden title on Monday.

From 8-3 and 10-5 down, Selby held his nerve to win 18-14 at the Crucible Theatre.

Selby ended O'Sullivan's 14-match winning streak at the worlds by clearing the colors, then punching the air in joy.

"You want to win it with Ronnie in the tournament, and there's no better way than playing him in the final," Selby told the BBC.

"I was just my usual self, dug in, and never gave in. I didn't play pretty snooker early in the match but towards the end I played well."

Sullivan, gunning for a sixth career world title, scored his third century of the final to level at 12-12 at the beginning of the evening session. But O'Sullivan kept giving Selby openings, and Selby chiselled away. He moved ahead 14-12 to lead by two for the first time, and a break of 56 gave him a three-frame lead.

O'Sullivan stylishly cut the lead to one, but Selby gave a champion's response with his first century, a total clearance of 127, and didn't stop there.

"He just outfought me, out-battled me," O'Sullivan said. "He had me in all sorts of trouble for two days. I tried my best but he was too tough, and he's a worthy champion."

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