Sport

Mark Selby knocked out of Masters by Iran’s Hossein Vafaei

Shaun Murphy survives fightback to secure 6-4 win over Neil Robertson

Hossein Vafaei during his match against Mark Selby during day one of the Cazoo Masters at Alexandra Palace, London. Photograph: John Walton/PA Wire
Hossein Vafaei during his match against Mark Selby during day one of the Cazoo Masters at Alexandra Palace, London. Photograph: John Walton/PA Wire
Mon Jan 09 2023 - 08:11

Mark Selby, the three-times Masters champion, suffered an early exit as he lost 6-2 to the Iranian debutant Hossein Vafaei at Alexandra Palace on Sunday evening.

Vafaei is not in the world top 16, who qualify automatically, but took Zhao Xintong’s place in the draw after the Chinese star became one of 10 players suspended from the tour amid an investigation into match-fixing.

The Iranian made two centuries and further breaks of 99, 52 and 65 to beat Selby for the third time in succession. In contrast, Selby’s highest break of the evening was only 49 as he suffered a third first-round loss at the Masters in the last four years.

Vafaei is the first Iranian to win a ranking tournament, the first to play at the Crucible and now the first to play in the Masters.

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“I can’t believe it,” he told Eurosport. “Am I asleep or awake? Honestly, I can’t believe it. He’s such a tough opponent, he never gives up. He’s such a legend and it’s such a pleasure to share the table with him.

“I’m so proud of myself to beat him again. He’s one of the greatest ambassadors we have so I’m so happy to do the hat-trick against him.”

In the afternoon session there was another shock with the defending champion, Neil Robertson, knocked out by Shaun Murphy, who held off a spirited fightback from the Australian to win 6-4.

Robertson won the opening frame with a break of 73 but Murphy reeled off the next five in succession with contributions of 98, 53, 61 and 100, the century coming after Robertson had miscued horribly on the black.

Murphy had the chance to wrap up victory in a 48-minute seventh frame only to miss the green after a superb pot on the yellow with the rest and that looked set to be a turning point.

Robertson made a break of 84 to reduce his deficit and was then on course for a maximum break of 147 in the ninth frame before missing a difficult 14th red into the yellow pocket. The left-hander had the chance to force a decider when Murphy broke down on 54 in frame 10, but missed the blue into the middle trying to force position on the final red and a relieved Murphy sealed a 6-4 win.

“I was as surprised as anyone to find myself 5-1 ahead,” Murphy told the BBC. “I played well but of course against Neil you don’t expect to be in that position. I was pushed along by this great crowd here this afternoon. It’s great to be back, I didn’t enjoy the last half an hour, but in general it’s been a good season, my game’s been trending in the right direction.”

Murphy will play either Kyren Wilson or Stuart Bingham in the quarter-finals.

Robertson revealed he had been suffering from an “horrendous bout of flu” in the build-up to the match. “I’ve just been in bed really for a week and a half and Mille [his wife] has done amazingly well, because she’s had it as well, to look after the kids to allow me to get as much rest as possible,” he told Eurosport.

“I’ve been going to the club and doing about 45 minutes’ [practice], about the most I can do ... on a lot of painkillers and was really struggling out there physically. I have to thank the crowd, they kind of gave me something, especially in the 147 attempt. I just wanted to somehow make a maximum and then be happy even with losing.”