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Sunday, 20 January 2008, 22:13 GMT

Selby trounces Lee to win Masters

Mark Selby Mark Selby won the Masters final at the first attempt as he beat Stephen Lee 10-3 to secure his first major title.

Having reached the final with three successive last-frame victories, Selby reeled off eight successive frames to secure the winner's cheque of £150,000.

Lee took the first frame and later led 3-2 but Selby posted breaks of 124 and 88 to take a 5-3 lead at the interval.

Selby recorded four century breaks in all, clinching the decisive frame with a devastating clearance of 141.

"I'm gutted for people who turned up to watch me"
Beaten finalist Stephen Lee

Although it was Lee who took a scrappy opening frame, Selby hit back with a 124 break to draw level and then go 2-1 ahead with a break of 88.

The fourth frame nearly lasted half an hour, but it was Lee who won it to leave the match finely poised at 2-2 at the mid-session interval.

Lee gained the advantage by winning the first frame after the resumption, but then the world number 13 from Trowbridge saw his opponent reel off three frames in a row to take command of the match.

606: DEBATE
"I think it's fair to say that Selby is in the elite crowd now"
chumbawumba2

A run of 43 helped Selby tie the match up at 3-3, before a break of 60 saw him edge 4-3 ahead and it got even better for last season's World Championship runner-up as a break of 45 helped him to 5-3 clear.

Selby started the evening session in menacing fashion with a break of 132 to edge further ahead and Lee struggled to get back into in the match.

The Leicester player held his nerve superbly, sealing the win with the joint-highest clearance of the tournament which earned him an additional £5,000, equalling Irishman Ken Doherty's 141 break from earlier in the event.

Only John Spencer (1975), Doug Mountjoy (1977), Terry Griffiths (1980) and Stephen Hendry (1989) have previously won the tournament on their debut.

Selby told BBC Sport afterwards: "I've been knocking on the door for a while. The world championship would have been nice last season, but to win the Masters is amazing.

"I'm only 24 but I feel about 40 after those close matches. "It would be great to go on and win at the Crucible this season."

Lee was unable to hide his disappointment over his lacklustre performance

"I'm gutted for people who turned up to watch me," said Lee. "I'm a bit gutted because I tried to win it for my mate Paul Hunter."



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Related to this story:

Masters final as it happened (20 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Our man at the Masters (14 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Ask The Ref - Michaela Tabb (18 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Female ref excited by first major (19 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Selby and Lee into Masters final (19 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Selby & Doherty into Masters semi (17 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Ding sees off Higgins in thriller (16 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Williams contemplates retirement (15 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Selby ousts Hendry from Masters (14 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
O'Sullivan exits in Masters epic (13 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Dad Doherty targets Wembley win (09 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Masters draw (04 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Masters order of play (04 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Masters roll of honour (07 Jan 08 |  Snooker )
Snooker on the BBC (07 Jan 08 |  Snooker )

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