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Page last updated at 23:58 GMT, Sunday, 9 January 2011

King beats defending champion Selby at Masters

The Masters
Venue: Wembley Arena Date: 9-16 January
Coverage: Live action and highlights on BBC Two and BBC Red Button; updates and reports on BBC Radio 5 live and live coverage on this website; watch again on iPlayer; Full details of BBC coverage


Mark King
King was in superb form against the defending champion

World number 16 Mark King put in one of his best displays of recent times to knock out defending champion Mark Selby in the opening round of the Masters.

King recovered from 2-0 down to defeat Selby, the world number six, 6-4.

The Essex player got back into it with a 139 break and led 4-2 before Selby levelled at 4-4 with a break of 106.

King then led 5-4 and in a tense 10th frame the players agreed to a re-rack and, despite an error, King recovered to see off the Leicester cueman.

Selby had previously lost just one match at Wembley in three years, and that in the 2009 final against Ronnie O'Sullivan, a result he avenged in the title match 12 months ago for his second title after also triumphing in 2008.

But King, who will face Shaun Murphy or Jamie Cope in the quarter-finals, revealed it was what he perceived as a somewhat premature celebration from Selby which inspired his performance.

"Mark is a fantastic player and this is like his back yard, but he won the second frame and put his cue up and it gave me the hump a bit," King said.

"He was pleased to win it on the black but I thought, 'Hang on, you're only 2-0 up'."

King also was pleased that the hard work he has put in over the winter is finally paying dividends.

"I am the worst break-builder there is in the top 16," added the 36-year-old.

"I don't make tons, I get in and make 30 or 20, but ever since the UK Championship I have been really working on it and I went to China with Stephen Hendry and got a little bit of advice from him."

In the evening session, Peter Ebdon edged out Ali Carter 6-5 in a tense game which took over four hours to complete.

The pair were locked together for the majority of a safety-based encounter, which had break-building at a premium.

Ebdon led 5-4 and was 64-0 up in the 10th frame but Carter held his nerve to force a decider.

The final frame followed the pattern of the rest of the match but it was Ebdon who eventually seized the initiative to set up a meeting with Stephen Maguire or Marco Fu.


Masters first round draw/results:

Mark King 6-4 Mark Selby

Ali Carter 5-6 Peter Ebdon

Mark Williams 4-6 Ding Junhui

John Higgins v Graeme Dott (Monday from 1900 GMT)

Ronnie O'Sullivan v Mark Allen (Tuesday from 1300 GMT)

Stephen Maguire v Marco Fu (Tuesday from 1900 GMT)

Neil Robertson v Stephen Hendry (Wednesday from 1330 GMT)

Shaun Murphy v Jamie Cope (Wednesday from 1900 GMT)



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see also
Masters scores and match schedule
16 Jan 11 |  Snooker
Masters handed sponsorship boost
29 Dec 10 |  Snooker
Selby targets third Masters win
23 Dec 10 |  Snooker
Higgins proud of UK comeback win
13 Dec 10 |  Snooker
Higgins defeats Williams in epic
12 Dec 10 |  Snooker
Higgins wins comeback tournament
14 Nov 10 |  Snooker
Selby stuns O'Sullivan at Masters
18 Jan 10 |  Snooker
O'Sullivan revels in Wembley win
19 Jan 09 |  Snooker
Selby crowned 2008 Masters Champion
20 Jan 08 |  Snooker


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