Welsh Open 2025: Mark Selby wins ranking title No. 24 with victory over Stephen Maguire to lift Ray Reardon Trophy

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Mark Selby got the better of Stephen Maguire to secure a 9-6 victory in the Welsh Open final in Llandudno on Sunday evening. The afternoon session finished all square at 4-4, and it was a tense battle in the evening in north Wales. It remained tight early on, but Selby pulled away after the final interval to get his hands on the Ray Reardon Trophy.

Watch the moment Selby clinches Welsh Open glory in final against Maguire

Video credit: TNT Sports

Mark Selby moved alongside Neil Robertson on the list of ranking title winners with victory over Stephen Maguire in the Welsh Open final.

Seventeen years on from his first ranking title, also at the Welsh Open, Selby won a tight battle with Maguire 9-6 to join Robertson on 24 ranking titles.

It is Selby’s second ranking title of the season, after his win at the British Open in September, and he has Mark Williams in his sights, with the Welshman next on the list on 26.

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Only Williams, Steve Davis (28), Judd Trump (30), John Higgins (31), Stephen Hendry (36) and Ronnie O’Sullivan (41) are ahead of Selby.

Selby’s focus would have been solely on victory at Venue Cymru, but the added bonus of success meant that he avoided facing O’Sullivan in the first round of the World Grand Prix – which would have been the case had Maguire lifted the Ray Reardon Trophy.

Selby was delighted to secure the Welsh Open for a second time, but had words of praise for Maguire.

Selby pays tribute to 'class act' Maguire after winning Welsh Open final

Video credit: TNT Sports

"It’s great to see him back in finals," Selby said. "Four years is way too long. He’s a class act, and I’m one of his biggest fans. Great to see you back playing well, mate."

Selby felt the key to glory in North Wales was winning frames from losing positions.

"I’m my own worst critic, even when I’m playing OK," Selby said.

"I always think I’m not playing great, but this week I’ve won a lot of key frames when I’m 40 or 50 behind. When it gets down to the last red, when it’s been nip-and-tuck, I’ve won quite a few of them. In the last eight months, I’ve not been winning them, and that’s been the difference between me not going on a good run."

Maguire credits Selby after defeat in Welsh Open final - 'I never seen a ball'

Video credit: TNT Sports

Maguire’s run to the title match was his first appearance in a ranking final since 2020.

The 2020 Tour Championship winner came up short, but was happy with his week.

"I had a good week," Maguire said. "I enjoyed myself.

"I just came up short in the end, he played well in the last three frames. I never really saw a ball until the last minute. There’s nothing you can do when he’s potting all the balls.

"I’m not just going to give him it. I would have preferred to carry on, but like I said, at six each, I never really saw a ball until it was kind of done, so all credit to Mark.

"We go again."

Maguire thumps table in frustration after losing position

Video credit: TNT Sports

The afternoon session finished all square at 4-4, after Maguire produced an excellent break following a surprising Selby miss to take the eighth.

If Selby was left to dwell on the miss to right-middle for a couple of hours, it was not on his mind at the start of the evening session as his first shot was a glorious long red. He did not close out the frame in one dig after running out of position, and there were surprising misses from both players.

A black, described by Joe Johnson on Eurosport commentary "as probably the easiest black I have ever seen him miss", was a shock to Selby when it remained above ground, but Maguire missed a green with the frame at his mercy and the Leicester man cleared to pinch a 34-minute opener.

Selby misses simple black against Maguire in Welsh Open final

Video credit: TNT Sports

Frames were traded before the final interval, an intermission Selby would have entered shaking his head in disbelief. At 60-0 to the good and with a two-frame lead staring him in the face, Selby missed the sort of red a club player would have potted without any trouble.

It was a miss that defied belief, but Maguire emerged from his chair and picked off a break that was as good as Selby’s miss was bad. There were reds on cushions, but he lifted them with a series of clever cannons and mopped up a break of 71 to draw level.

Selby misses simple red and Maguire picks off brilliant break to steal frame

Video credit: TNT Sports

Selby was left to stew on a miss at the end of the afternoon session for a couple of hours. The miss in the 12th left him with 20 minutes to think about it, but he stormed back to take the 13th with a run of 60 – and followed up with a century to get within one frame of the winning line.

Selby pulls off audacious treble in century break against Maguire at Welsh Open final

Video credit: TNT Sports

With victory in sight, Selby missed an easy ball to hand Maguire a chance, but the wind had been taken from his sails by the burst from his opponent and the four-time world champion returned to secure the title.

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