体坛英语新闻：Selby beats Robertson to reach world final

LONDON, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Mark Selby beat world No. 1 Neil Robertson 17-15 on Saturday to set up a final meeting with Ronnie O'Sullivan at the snooker World Championship.

It was the second time for Selby to reach the final in the World Championships following his first one seven years ago.

Leicester's 30-year-old Selby has played some of the best snooker of his career in reaching the final. He will vie for the title against five-time champion O'Sullivan on a best-of-35 frames format on Sunday and Monday, with the winner to receive 300,000 pounds of top prize.

"It's a shame there had to be a loser," said Selby. "Neil played fantastic all the way through the match. Every time I got a few frames in front and his back was against the wall, he just showed his class and showed why he's world number one and came back at me. It was blow for blow towards the end but I felt very relaxed.

"I don't feel tired at the moment. I'm sure when I get back I won't sleep because of the adrenaline. Ronnie's a genius - he doesn't fear anyone. He's played some great snooker in patches, but in other patches he's missed balls and nobody's punished him.

"I know I'm going to get my chances, it's just a case of whether I take them or not. I'm a lot more confident now than I was in my first final in 2007. I was a qualifier then so any match I was winning was a bonus. But over the last few years, I've won a few tournaments and every time I go to one if I don't win it I see it as a failure.

"I'm confident going into tomorrow and hopefully I can pull through over the two days."

Robertson said: "He played probably the best I've ever seen him play. With that many sessions, for him not have a period where he's missing easy balls is every credit to him."