Neil Robertson recovered from a dismal start to beat Mark Selby 10-7 in the williamhill.com UK Championship final at York's Barbican Centre and complete snooker's triple crown
Neil Robertson recovered from a dismal start to beat Mark Selby 10-7 in the williamhill.com UK Championship final at York's Barbican Centre and complete snooker's triple crown
Selby, who on Saturday made snooker's 100th official maximum as he won his semi-final against Ricky Walden 9-5, opened the final with a 130 and pulled away into a commanding 5-1 lead.
But world No.1 Robertson crucially took the last two frames of the afternoon session and back-to-back centuries brought him level at 6-6.
He won the next two frames as well and pinched the 16th on the black to move within a frame of victory, which he completed with a 57 break.
The Australian becomes only the eighth player to win the World, UK and Masters titles. Only Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Alex and John Higgins, Terry Griffith and Mark Williams had achieved the feat.
"The second session here tonight is the best I've ever played in a final," beamed Robertson. "To be the first overseas player to win all three majors is fantastic. It's a fantastic feeling.
"Mark was too good for me in the first session, but I just had to play my best snooker from 6-3 down to get back into the match. I was really proud of the way I handled myself. A former world champion sent me a text message at the interval and it really helped me. I brought the best snooker out of myself under pressure. It's such a special feeling.
Selby pocketed £70,000 as runner-up and an additional £59,000 for his maximum break.
"I scrapped it out, but I was very poor in the evening session, said the world No.2 "I thought Neil was definitely the better player in the second session."
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