Jak Jones claimed the second ranking title of his career by defeating four-time world champion Mark Selby 10-6 in the British Open final, capping off a remarkable run that included a dramatic semi-final victory over Judd Trump and establishing a new milestone for the Welsh professional on the circuit.
Mark Selby Survives Two Deciders in One Day at British Open
The journey to the final at the British Open proved to be an exhausting test of endurance for Selby, who survived two deciding frame finishes on the same day at the Centaur in Cheltenham. Playing in what is structured as an ‘FA Cup-style’ random draw event, the veteran contender battled through the rounds despite suffering the effects of jet lag following a quick turnaround between events on opposite sides of the world, having reached the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open the previous week.
“It was brutal. I feel like I’ve literally hit the wall, I’ve got nothing left. I’ve been waking up at all hours every night. I feel like I’ve run my race, but I always give it everything.”
That stamina was tested repeatedly across the week at the Centaur venue. Selby ousted David Lilley on Monday/Tuesday in a post-midnight finish and fought through a 4-3 victory against Jackson Page—where Page took the opening frame with a 96, Selby responded with a 113 in the third frame, and Page bagged consecutive frames before Selby won—before eventually advancing to the last 16 and ultimately facing Liam Highfield in the semi-finals, where a 6-3 win secured his 40th ranking event final appearance.
Reflecting on Highfield’s performance in the semi-final, Selby praised his opponent’s safety play as incredible and stated that he could not remember him playing a poor safety shot throughout the match. Earlier in the tournament, the event also saw defending champion Shaun Murphy’s title defence end in the last 64 against David Gilbert, continuing a historical trend where no player has ever retained the British Open crown.
Jak Jones and the Road to the British Open Final
Jak Jones Stuns Judd Trump to Reach the British Open Final
While Selby fought fatigue, Jones charted a steadier path to the title match, highlighted by a hard-fought semi-final victory against Judd Trump. Jones produced the biggest result of the semi-finals by beating Trump to move into the final, displaying a performance that mixed early control with enough resilience to recover when the momentum shifted. Jones built a 3-1 lead before Trump leveled the score at 3-3, after which Jones pushed on again to go 5-3 in front before completing the win.
Admitting that his standard dipped after the interval as he began missing a few, Jones noted that he cannot say he is in this position a lot, making the experience feel different compared to playing someone like Trump. Earlier in the event, Jones had registered runs of 111 and 72 in stopping Wuhan Open champion Chang Bingyu 4-1 in a clash of the season’s maiden ranking event winners.
Turning professional at 16 in 2010, Jones experienced a turbulent career path that included dropping off the World Snooker Tour twice before establishing himself as a mainstay since 2016. He reached the 2024 World Championship final before losing to Kyren Wilson, and entered the British Open having won his first ranking title with victory at the Championship League in July 2026.
“It’s been difficult for the last 15 years – I’ve been battling away. For my parents, wife and son, it’s unbelievable because I haven’t really achieved a lot in the game. This season, to start winning things just feels amazing.”
How the British Open Final Unfolded Between Jones and Selby
Jak Jones Shocks Mark Selby to Win British Open Title
The championship match began as a tight tactical battle, with the pair tied at 4-4 after the afternoon session. That session featured a 139 break from Selby, who later added another century break to level the score at 5-5.
Jones then started to pull away by moving into a two-frame lead at 7-5. Breaks of 53 and 62 brought the Welshman one frame from victory, and he sealed the trophy at 10-6 after England’s Selby missed a green on the colours.
Rankings Movement and Career Milestones
The tournament carried implications well beyond the immediate trophy presentation. Selby noted the scale of his career by reflecting on his beginnings as a 16-year-old kid starting out in 1999, admitting he would have said there was no chance of reaching 40 ranking finals and would have been happy to get to just one or two.
Had Selby secured the victory in the final, he was positioned to move from fourth to second in the world rankings. Instead, it was Jones who captured the victory, keeping his hopes alive alongside other competitors earlier in the week who chased a £100,000 payday and The Clive Everton Trophy at the Centaur in Cheltenham.
