Mark Selby makes World Snooker Championship history with first 147 maximum break in a Crucible final

Mark Selby made history by making the first 147 maximum break in a World Championship final against Luca Brecel at the Crucible Theatre on Sunday night.

In 2008, O’Sullivan and Carter made 147s at the same World Championship, so the feat has been repeated for a second time in 2023.

“I wasn’t really thinking about the maximum until I got to 72 because the way Luca was playing I was happy to get some frames on the board and get myself back into the match,” Selby told Eurosport.

“If I felt good on the reds then obviously I would have kept going for the black, but if at any stage it got a bit tricky then I would have played to win the frame.

“It was probably that red with the rest on 72 where it could have gone wrong and I was thinking if I miss this, Luca could clear up then win the frame.

“After I potted that I felt calm all the way through it. That last red was a tricky one but I played the white where you want it ball-in-hand, all I had to do was drop it in.

On the atmosphere inside the Crucible, he added: “Incredible. I played really well against Marco a few years ago and made a really good break.

“Apparently the crowd went ballistic and I walked out of the arena and didn’t get to enjoy it. This time I made sure I stayed in and the atmosphere when I potted that black was electric.

“It was amazing how calm I felt, it was probably because I was a little bit fatigued and just the way the match was going.”

Brecel went for a long red to the bottom left that wobbled in the jaws and stayed out. All the reds were in the bottom half of the table and Selby calmly repeated the red-black sequence.

The only problem was a red near the left cushion, but Selby positioned himself perfectly to roll it in and land on the black.

From there, it felt like it was never in doubt and Selby cleared the colours to make the 14th maximum at the World Championship and was given a huge standing ovation.

“Magnificent Mark Selby!” acclaimed Eurosport commentator Philip Studd. “History made. The first ever maximum break in a World Championship final here at the Crucible.

“A wonderful moment here for Selby and for this crowd.”

Eurosport expert Jimmy White added: “That was absolutely magic.

“The last black to get on the last red down the rail, he played it to perfection. He just had to drop the red in there.

“To have a 147 on your CV at the World Championship, that’s another thing in his fantastic list of achievements. He’s absolutely buzzing.”

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