Selby to retain top ranking
Mark Selby will remain as snooker’s top ranked player following the latest revision to the official world ranking list at the start of next week.
Although that might not appear to be a surprise, given that the 2014 world champion enjoyed a lead of £123,620 over second placed Stuart Bingham prior to the International Championship, for the first time this season there was a mathematical chance that the number one position could change hands for the first time since February.
For that to have happened, Selby must have lost at the last 64 stage in Daqing, with Bingham going on to claim the title.
With his 6-3 victory against Mike Dunn on the opening day of the International Championship however, Selby ensured that he will remain as world number one until at least the conclusion of the Betway UK Championship in December.
Following Bingham’s last 64 defeat to Yu Delu on Tuesday, Selby now has the chance to extend his lead further to the reigning world champion, although he will be defending a significant amount of prize money at this year’s Betway UK Championship, having finished as runner-up at the Barbican Centre to Neil Robertson in 2013.
Mark Selby has finished as world number one at the end of the last four seasons and has currently held top spot for a total of 259 consecutive days. This is his second longest streak, behind his 420 day reign from September 2011 to November 2012.
