World champion and world number one Mark Selby has booked a spot at the German Masters with an impressive win over Jamie Jones at qualifying in Barnsley. Selby completed his schedule for 2017 with a 5-2 win over the Welsh potter to book his place in next month’s ranking event in Berlin. The world champion did in some style with a brace of centuries alongside further runs of 92 and 73 in overcoming Jones 5-2.
‘The Jester’ has been ranked number one in the world ever since he lifted the German Masters trophy at the Tempodrom in early 2015, so he’ll have fond memories of returning to Berlin in the new year. Shaun Murphy, Mark Allen, and Barry Hawkins all recorded 5-2 scorelines to book their spots at one of the most popular ranking tournaments on the calendar amidst what is always a fine atmosphere in Berlin. Murphy, beaten by Ronnie O’Sullivan in the UK Championship final in York earlier in the month, accounted for the in-form Cao Yupeng, who fell agonisingly fell short of capturing his maiden ranking event crown last weekend in Glasgow when he lost the final five frames in the Dafabet Scottish Open final to Neil Robertson, while Allen and Hawkins overcame Rod Lawler and Liam Highfield respectively.
Jimmy White had an impressive victory over Anthony McGill on Wednesday but ‘The Whirlwind’ came up short in his quest to reach Berlin, falling in a 5-2 defeat to Yu Delu. Selby is 5/1 to win next month’s Dafabet Masters at Alexandra Palace, with O’Sullivan the 11/5 favourite to retain his crown.
German Masters Qualifiers odds available at Dafabet.