Matthew Selt extends 'perfect' streak over Judd Trump in Championship League group win


World number 33 Selt won Group 5 of the unique behind-closed-doors competition at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester after emphatically defeating Judd Trump 3-0 in the playoff final. Selt will return for a tilt at the overall title in February when he joins previous group winners Hossein Vafaei, Si Jiahui, Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, and the winners of groups 6 and 7.
Ranking event winner Selt began his campaign in this year's tournament in Group 4 earlier this month where he finished fifth in the standings which kept him in the event. He returned on Monday for his latest group participation but he lost his opening two matches to Neil Robertson and Joe O'Connor, both 3-2.
Advertisement
Advertisement
However, he finished day one with a 3-1 victory over Tom Ford, before coming back the next morning for 3-2 wins over former world champions Judd Trump and Stuart Bingham. There was huge scoring in both those matches, with Selt compiling five centuries across those games alone, including one in each of the deciding frames he won.
In his final round robin fixture, Selt was defeated 3-0 by Jak Jones - who eclipsed Selt's joint world record for the most century breaks made in a professional event - but he did enough to finish third in the group and qualify for the top four playoffs.
Trump came top of the group with Jones second - both players scoring five wins from six. Players from fourth to seventh all ended up with two wins each, so positions were determined by frames won, then frames lost, with O'Connor getting the final playoff space, Ford moving to the next group, and both Bingham and Robertson exiting the competition altogether.
In the semi-finals, Selt recovered from the loss of the opening frame to dismiss Jones 3-1, while Trump ousted O'Connor 3-2. In the final, Selt was in exceptional scoring form again as he registered runs of 102, 102 and 95 - a missed black denying him three tons in as many frames - in an impressive whitewash win over the world number one.
Advertisement
Advertisement
That victory also extended Selt's 100% winning streak over Trump in this particular tournament to six wins from six. He also had victories over him under this format in 2023, 2016 and 2015.
Group 6 takes place on Wednesday and Thursday with David Gilbert, Jack Lisowski and Noppon Saengkham being the new players to join the party. Trump, Jones, O’Connor and Ford are all scheduled to return.
The overall title winner of the 2025 Championship League Snooker Invitational will receive an invite to the Champion of Champions later in the year.
For full results from all groups at the 2025 Championship League Snooker Invitational Event, please visit our information centre here.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.