British Open: Mark Selby beats John Higgins in 2024 final to win title for first time

Mark Selby claimed his first British Open title by beating fellow four-time world champion John Higgins in Sunday’s final.

The world number five clinched a 10-5 victory in Cheltenham in his first major final since losing to Mark Williams at last year’s British Open.

It is the 41-year-old’s first ranking title since winning the WST Classic in March 2023 and the 23rd of the Englishman’s career.

He lifted the Clive Everton Trophy in the week that snooker lost the renowned broadcaster and journalist, who died at the age of 87.

The British Open trophy was named in Everton’s honour in 2022, in recognition of his contribution to the sport.

Higgins, 49, was playing in his first ranking event final since April 2022 and will climb back up to 14th in the world – just a week after the Scot dropped out of the world’s top 16 for the first time since 1995.

Selby led 5-3 after a high-quality opening session, with a break of at least 60 in all eight frames, including three centuries.

Selby went into a 4-2 lead by reeling off three straight frames, including a 137 break.

Higgins made 105 to pull one back, but Selby replied with a 135 to end the session on top.

The first frame of the evening went to Higgins, cutting his deficit to just one, but Selby captured five of the next six to tie up victory, making runs of 91 and 93 in the last two to finish in style.