Matthew Selt
Matthew Selt

Indian Open Snooker: Matthew Selt beats Lyu Haotian to claim first ranking title success


Matthew Selt won his first ranking title when beating Lyu Haotian 5-3 in the final of the Indian Open in Kochi.

Despite winning the opening two frames, the second with a break of 84, Selt had to sit and watch as Haotian hit back with breaks of 115, 78 and 66 to lead 3-2.

However, the 33-year-old Selt drew on all of his previous experience and responded with a fabulous century (102) to draw level at 3-3 in the best of nine-frames encounter.

A tense and scrappy frame seven proved crucial to deciding the outcome of the final and it was Selt who held himself together best to edge in front before closing out the match with a fine break of 72 in the following frame.

Selt began the day by beating John Higgins in the semi-finals, breaks of 103, 50 and 84 helping him overcome the four-time world champion 4-2.

Meanwhile, Haotian booked his place in the final by defeating veteran Anthony Hamilton by the same scoreline, but it was to be Selt's day as he recorded a landmark success and picked up a cheque for £50,000 in the process.

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