Anthony McGill dethrones Mark Selby at the Scottish Open
Selby was beaten by world number 40 Highfield (Photo by PA Images)
Mark Selby’s two-year reign as Scottish Open champion is over following a 4-3 defeat by Anthony McGill in Llandudno.
The two-time champion had never lost a match at the Home Nations event, winning 17 on the bounce.
However, Selby’s dominance has come to an end after McGill held his nerve to send the Jester packing at Venue Cymru.
The Scotsman had lost eight of his 10 previous showdowns with the four-time World champion, but took the second frame on the black before producing a wonderful 75 clearance in the next from 64-0 down to go 3-0 up.
Renowned for his trademark tenacity, Selby hit back in emphatic fashion with breaks of 105, 116 and 79 setting up a decider, but McGill maintained his composure to scrape over the line.
A courageous fightback from 3-0 down also proved in vain for Judd Trump, who was ousted by a relieved David Gilbert.
The Ace arrived in the fourth-round clash having not dropped a single frame in his previous three matches this week.
However, the Championship League winner ensured that streak came to an abrupt halt; breaks of 97 and 106 putting him 3-0 to the good.
Trump dug deep with a top break of 113 on the way to forcing a decider, in which he was handed a glorious opportunity to complete the turnaround.
But he missed the green and Gilbert held his nerve to snatch victory on the black and condemn his opponent to only a seventh defeat in a Home Nations encounter over the best of seven frames.
Elsewhere, Ronnie O’Sullivan was on the right end of a seven-frame thriller with Jamie Jones.
In the first meeting between the players, the Rocket drew first blood with 96, but Jones responded with a 131 total clearance on the way to moving 2-1 in front.
Breaks of 75 and 85 saw O’Sullivan turn things around and although his opponent dug deep with 94 to force a decider, the six-time World champion prevailed thanks to a run of 66.
Four-time Crucible king John Higgins hit breaks of 85 and 82 in a 4-2 victory over Martin Gould, while Stephen Maguire and Luca Brecel were 4-1 winners against Ben Woollaston and Fergal O’Brien respectively.
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Scottish Open Snooker 2021 Results
Thursday December 9
Last 32
Jackson Page 3-4 Matthew Selt
Scott Donaldson 4-2 Ben Hancorn
David Gilbert 4-0 Hammad Miah
Judd Trump 4-0 David Lilley
Xu Si 3-4 Martin O’Donnell
Hossein Vafaei 3-4 Li Hang
John Higgins 4-0 Ryan Day
Martin Gould 4-2 Zhang Anda
Last 16
Mark Selby 3-4 Anthony McGill
Stephen Maguire 4-1 Ben Woollaston
Luca Brecel 4-1 Fergal O’Brien
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-3 Jamie Jones
Matthew Selt 4-2 Scott Donaldson
Martin O’Donnell 2-4 Li Hang
John Higgins 4-2 Martin Gould
Judd Trump 3-4 David Gilbert