Debutant Selby stays calm to edge out Doherty in semi-final thriller

Published on Sunday 20 January 2008 00:26

MARK Selby held his nerve to beat Ken Doherty 6-5 in the first SAGA Insurance Masters semi-final at Wembley. But the Leicester professional, aiming to be the first debutant for 19 years to win the prestigious invitational event, admitted he thought he had blown his chance.

The runner-up at last year’s 888.com World Championship trailed 2-1, fought back to lead 5-4, but was taken to a decider by Doherty. “I thought I was out, but I had a bit of luck,” Selby said. “I knew that if I got a chance in the last frame then I was confident enough to take it.

“There were plenty of nerves out there and maybe I thought it was not going to be my year. But I’ve surprised myself how well I’ve done here. It’s a great feeling to have reached the final, hopefully now I can go on and win it.

“I’ve got every chance of winning it. It was a great relief to pot the last red because Ken’s one of those players that never gives in.”

Selby started well and won the opening frame with a break of 54, but Doherty – the 1997 world champion – rallied to edge ahead with runs of 52 and 42. Back came Selby to level at 2-2 with a break of 69, before adding further breaks of 61 and 107 for a two-frame cushion.

Doherty won two scrappy frames to square the match for the second time, only for Selby to edge within one frame of victory thanks to valuable runs of 32 and 31 in the next frame. Doherty levelled again at 5-5 but Selby took the decider to set up a final with either Stephen Lee or Marco Fu.

“It’s a bitter pill to swallow. I had my chance in the last frame and I didn’t take it,” Doherty said. “It’s 50-50 when it goes to the last frame, but I had a great chance to win it. I’m gutted, but I was unlucky in the last frame. If I made the plant in the last frame then I’d win the match. It was a tough match, but it just didn’t happen for me. It’s disappointing, but I can take some positives away because I’ve played the best I have for years this week.”

Stephen Lee has revealed his battle to beat the bulge could yield him his first Masters crown. The Wiltshire cueman dispensed with former world and UK champion Peter Ebdon in the quarter-finals on Friday. After an impressive 6-1 win, the world No.11 hopes his new fitness regime will help him go on and lift the prestigious trophy.

“I’m trying to lose weight,” he said. “I stopped drinking at New Year and I’ve been in the gym. You’ve got to give it a chance.”