MARK SELBY showed the world why he is the best snooker player on the planet after he thrashed Ding Junhui 10-1 to win the International Championship.

Mark Selby. Picture by Monique Limbos

In a repeat of this year’s World Championship final, the world number one put in an almost faultless display against the home favourite to take home the £125,000 winning prize and trophy for the first time in his career.

The victory was the biggest in a major ranking final in four years when Mark Allen beat Stephen Lee by the same scoreline to win the Haikou World Open in 2012.

Victory makes Selby’s 2016 on the table even more memorable after winning the World Championship for a second time in May and winning the Paul Hunter Classic in August. He also got revenge for Ding who beat him in last month’s Shanghai Masters final.

And in this majestic form, Selby will certainly be odds on to win more titles with a packed calendar of invitational and major ranking events taking place between now and end of the year – including the UK Championship.

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS

2012 – Judd Trump
2013 – Ding Junhui
2014 – Ricky Walden
2015 – John Higgins
2016 – Mark Selby

Like the World Championship final, Selby was at his dominant best and at never one stage did he look like losing the finale.

Breaks of 83 and 87 put him in the ascendancy straight away, taking a 2-0 lead before he won the third frame on the colours to take a 3-0 lead.

Ding got a frame on the board to reduce to 3-1 but he scored just 58 points in the next five frames as Selby stormed 8-1 ahead with top breaks of 67, 66 and 50.

And Selby did not waste any time in the evening session as he clinched victory taking the next two frames with runs of 62 and 78.

Selby will be hoping for more success when he takes part in the first ever China Championship this week. His first round tie on Tuesday (November 1) is against Anthony McGill.

**STUART Bingham’s run to the semi-finals has ensured of him a place in next week’s Champion of Champions event in Coventry. Bingham qualifies through his position in the one-year-ranking list.

Mark Selby’s Route to International Championship glory

Preliminary Round – beat Paul Davison 6-4
First Round – beat Alfie Burden 6-2
Second Round – beat John Astley 6-2
Third Round – beat Liang Wenbo 6-5
Quarter-Final – beat Joe Perry 6-3
Semi-Final – beat Stuart Bingham 9-3
Final – beat Ding Junhui 10-1