Mark Selby (L) of England and Noppon Saengkham of Thailand pose before the final match at China Open 2026 snooker tournament in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)
Taiyuan: England's Mark Selby defeated Thailand's Noppon Saengkham 10-6 to claim the title of the 2026 World Snooker Tour China Open here on Sunday.
After the first session in which two players were deadlocked at 4-4, Selby pulled ahead 8-4 in the second.
Mark Selby competes during the final match between Mark Selby of England and Noppon Saengkham of Thailand at China Open 2026 snooker tournament in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)
Saengkham pulled one frame back, but Selby staged a dramatic comeback to move 9-5 ahead. Saengkham then fought back again to cut the deficit to 9-6.
In the 16th frame, Selby regained his form with precise shot-making and eventually sealed a 10-6 victory to win the match and secure the title.
"Today's match was very important to my career. I also learned a lot from the experience. I will continue to work hard in training and hope to become a champion in the future," Saengkham said after the match.
"I am very happy to win this title in China. It was a tough match, and I haven't played amazing shots in the final, but I think I performed well throughout the tournament," Selby said.
