UK Snooker Champion suffers shock round one Masters exit just weeks after winning prestigious trophy

The Chinese player dominated proceedings with exceptional break-building throughout the match, culminating in a superb 118 clearance that sealed his passage to the quarter-finals.

Making his first appearance at the prestigious north London venue, Xiao showed no signs of nerves as he dismantled one of snooker's most decorated players.

The victory sets up a quarter-final clash with compatriot Wu Yize, who earlier in the day had eliminated defending Masters champion Shaun Murphy from the tournament.

The opening day of the 2026 Masters proved historic for Chinese snooker, with two debutants eliminating major champions from the draw.

Wu Yize's earlier triumph over Shaun Murphy, who claimed the title last year by defeating Kyren Wilson 10-7, ensured the tournament will crown a new winner.

The double elimination saw both the reigning Masters champion and current UK champion exit on the same afternoon.

The Masters, a non-ranking invitational event featuring the world's top 16 players, represents the second Triple Crown competition of the season, with the winner collecting £350,000.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is absent for a second consecutive year after withdrawing on medical grounds.

Xiao seized control from the opening frame, capitalising on a fortunate plant to compile a break of 95 that set the tone for a dominant first session.

The debutant swept through the mini-session without dropping a frame, constructing further breaks of 62, 76 and 77 to establish a commanding 4-0 advantage.

Selby's highest contribution during this period reached just 21 points, with the three-time world champion failing to register a single point in two of those frames.

After the interval, Selby demonstrated his class with a century break of 101 to claim the fifth frame, followed by a 76 in the sixth to reduce the arrears to 4-2.

The seventh frame proved decisive despite a tense conclusion. Selby had built a 17-0 lead before missing a blue into the middle pocket, an error that left him visibly frustrated.

Xiao, who had gone 46 minutes without potting a ball during Selby's fightback, punished the mistake ruthlessly with a magnificent 118 break to move within one frame of victory.

The final frame saw further drama as Xiao made several errors when seemingly poised to close out the match, but Selby's missed yellow on the baulk cushion handed his opponent the chance to complete a memorable debut triumph.

Only last month, Selby secured a £250,000 jackpot after beating Judd Trump 10-8 to win the UK Snooker Championship at the Barbican in York.

The 42-year-old secured glory on Sunday to etch his name into the history books and win a third UK Championship.

It was the 15th time the Englishman had appeared in the final of one of snooker's prestigious Triple Crown events.

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