Summary

  • Result: Mark Selby 18-15 John Higgins

  • Selby defends his title and wins his third World Championship in four years

  • Selby trailed 10-4 before fighting back

  • Controversy in frame 31 after referee says Selby did not hit the black and Higgins went on to win the frame

  • Selby made 131 break in 32nd frame and 78 in final frame

  1. WATCH: "Have you ever seen anything like that before?"published at 15:44 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 21: Selby 9-11 Higgins

    If you don't succeed, try, try, try and try again to get out of a tricky snooker.

    Media caption,

    "Have you ever seen anything like that before?"

  2. get involved

    Get Involved #bbcsnookerpublished at 15:41 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 21: Selby 9-11 Higgins

  3. The tallest players in the world. Maybepublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 21: Selby 9-11 Higgins

    BBC Sport's Seema Jaswal has found the game's tallest players. Sort of.

    BBC Sport app users may need to click on the link to watch the video.

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  4. 'Pressure on Selby'published at 15:38 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 21: Selby 9-11 Higgins

    John Virgo
    1979 UK Championship winner at The Crucible

    There's a lot of pressure on Mark Selby here. Having won the first two frames today he will not be happy to finish the session two apiece. 

    And he shouldn't be happy because he's had the run of the balls and the opportunities, but he's not taken them.

  5. Postpublished at 15:35 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 21: Selby 9-11 Higgins

    So how is Mark Selby going to react to losing his first frame in six? Well, he is at the table, on a break of 25 and looking threatening.

    Mark SelbyImage source, PA
  6. get involved

    Get Involved #bbcsnookerpublished at 15:33 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-11 Higgins

    Jordan: That hat-trick of misses, fantastic viewing.

    Liam Evans‏: The urge to get on the table is strong after watching a frame like this.

    Sherman Meow: One of those rare occasions that I would be happy if either won. Two great sportsmen, two great characters, one great final.

  7. 'Playing like scared kittens'published at 15:31 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-11 Higgins

    Steve Davis
    Six-time world champion at The Crucible

    Two of the greatest match players and scorers and they’re playing like scared kittens. It’s impossible to predict the outcome of this one at the moment.

  8. WATCH: Higgins pots long red to capitalise on Selby misspublished at 15:29 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-11 Higgins

    Mark Selby may have won five in a row before that last one, but he will be furious with himself with this miss on the red in the last frame, as Higgins went on to take it.

    Media caption,

    Higgins pots long red to capitalise on Selby miss

  9. Higgins wins his first frame in sixpublished at 15:27 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-11 Higgins (29-107, Higgins 78)

    A missed black from Selby gives Higgins another chance. With thoughts of giving away 12 points in fouls behind him, he does the rest with a break of 78 to get one on the board for today.

    A much-needed confidence booster for the Scot, who now has a two frame lead again.

  10. get involved

    Get Involved #bbcsnookerpublished at 15:23 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-10 Higgins

    Eric Timperton: Great scenes at The Crucible. Superb to see both players seeing the funny side of that snooker.

    John Higgins
  11. Postpublished at 15:21 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-10 Higgins

    So how do you get out of this? It baffles John Higgins as once, twice and then three times he bounces the cue ball off the right cushion, aiming to clip the red nearest the pink only to go in-off, via the brown ball.

    Frame 21
    John Higgins hits a shot
    Frame 21

    It leaves Brendan Moore having to use his best 'car park attendant' skills (according to Dennis Taylor) as he guides referee Jan Verhaas where to replace the balls.

    After all that, Higgins hits the red at the fourth time of asking after gifting Selby 12 points. 29-29 at the moment.

    Frame 21
    Media caption,

    "Have you ever seen anything like that before?"

  12. Postpublished at 15:13 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-10 Higgins

    The break falters, rather unluckily, at 29 but Higgins, hampered by some tough cueing over the yellow, does well to get the cueball safe. 29-0 to Higgins in frame 20, he would have been hoping for more.

  13. get involved

    Get Involved #bbcsnookerpublished at 15:11 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-10 Higgins

    Matt Oswin: Some miss from Selby and a good pot from Higgins - needs to take this chance.

    Jack of all trades‏: Higgins needs to win this frame, otherwise the momentum is gonna go with Selby

    He's up to 24...

  14. Postpublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-10 Higgins

    Steve Davis
    Six-time world champion at The Crucible

    It’s been tough for John Higgins, you can see he’s not happy. He’s been looking up at the commentary box and a few other things. 

    The light apparently he thinks is a bit bright, it’s probably no different to yesterday, but that’s how he’s sensing it now. 

  15. Postpublished at 15:08 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 20: Selby 9-10 Higgins

    Media caption,

    Higgins pots long red to capitalise on Selby miss

    Selby misses a red to the middle as he focused too much on position for the black.

    A cracking long red, maybe his best shot of the day, gives the Scot the first chance to stop the five-frame losing rot.

    Frame 20
  16. The gap is only onepublished at 15:05 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 19: Selby 9-10 Higgins (53-2)

    He can't do it. Selby wins another one. Five in a row, including both of the two today. Higgins' six-frame lead, which he had at 10-4, seems a distant memory.

    The Scot let Selby off the hook last night and now it is costing him.

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  17. Postpublished at 15:03 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 19: Selby 8-10 Higgins

    Three reds left on the table, all of which are on the baulk cushion, black on the right, pink on the left, the brown has gone for a wander as well.

    Selby has inched his way to a 53-1 lead. This is going to take some saving for Higgins.

  18. get involved

    Get Involved #bbcsnookerpublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 19: Selby 8-10 Higgins

    David‏: I've been in this situation many times... believe me pros it takes a bit of skill to get out of this!

    You're not the only one, David. Normally it takes me about a couple of hours to get out of this.

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  19. Postpublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 19: Selby 8-10 Higgins

    Dennis Taylor
    1985 world champion at The Crucible

    I don’t think I’ve ever seen a frame quite like this…

  20. Postpublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 1 May 2017

    Frame 19: Selby 8-10 Higgins

    With every red in the opposite half of the table than usual, John Higgins leaves one of them over the pocket.

    If Selby can negotiate his way through this maze then the frame is his.

    Frame 19