Ding Junhui finally put his five year title drought to bed when emerging victorious in this year’s International Championship.
Three times a UK Championship winner, it is Ding that has been widely credited with helping the game boom across China as it was he who first broke through into the games upper echelons.
Whilst he has still been a consistent force at the top of the game, Ding has seen many of his compatriots win tournaments on a regular basis but finally it was his turn.
Overcoming world number 21 Chris Wakelin in a tense final 10-7, Ding delighted the home fans as he overcame a deficit to finally get back into the winners circle.
Ding's victory has seen him move up one spot in the world rankings to 8, with the Chinese superstar firmly embedded in the top ten.
After what was yet another brilliant week of snooker. Here is everything that we learnt.
Ding Turns The Tables on Wakelin After Wuhan Open Victory
There is no doubt that the future of snooker lies in the Far East. One of the fastest growing sports in China, there are talks that after World Snooker’s deal with the Crucible expires, the World Championship will be staged in the country.
With several highly promising youngsters coming through, the man they all want to emulate is Ding.
A winner of 15 ranking titles, Ding has paved the way for others to follow. Whilst his dreams of becoming the first China man to win the World Championship still burns, after an up and down 2024, Ding offered the snooker world a timely reminder of his talents and outlined his major credentials moving forward.
Having lost in the first round of the 2024 World Championships, the world number eight has also experienced early exits at the Saudi Arabia Masters, British Open and Wuhan Open.
However, not one to be deterred, Ding clearly hadn’t lost any of his confidence as he got off to a hot start in this year’s International Championship.
Firstly brushing aside Martin O’Donnell in the opening round, he continued his dominance in the second round when demolishing Hossein Vafaei 6-0.
Having just lost one frame in his first two matches, things were tougher in round three as edged his compatriot Jiang Jun 6-3, setting up a mouthwatering clash against Kyren Wilson in the quarterfinals.
With Wilson fresh off his victory at the Northern Irish Open, many would have assumed that the 2024 World Champion would advance, but Ding had other ideas.
Seeing a 4-1 lead clawed back to 4-4, Ding saved his best for last, winning a tense ninth frame before then seeing the match out in style with a memorable 6-4 win.
With Wilson out of the way, the fans could sense that this could be Ding’s time. A China man was guaranteed a spot in the final, but after a back and forth contest against Xu Si, it would be Ding who would carry the host nation’s hopes as he secured his spot in the final with a 9-6 win.
Standing in Ding’s way in the final was Chris Wakelin. Although Ding was the heavy favourite, he had to overcome his defeat to the Englishman at the Wuhan Open where he lost 5-3.
In the final it looked like history would repeat itself once more as Wakelin surged into a 4-1 lead. With the first session break coming at exactly the right time, Ding was able to overcome the nerves that he was clearly feeling and set about working his way back into the contest.
Able to win the first frame of the afternoon session, from there Ding wouldn’t look back as he would rattle off seven frames in succession to take control of the final 7-4.
Ding often has an ability to be involved in thrilling matches and that once again proved to be the case as Wakelin was able to win the next two frames and reduce the arrears to 7-6.
With just one frame in it and the final still very much up for grabs, it was Ding who seized the initiative. Taking the next two frames in nerveless fashion, Ding stood on the brink of victory as he led 9-6.
Wakelin wouldn’t let his title chances go without a fight and was able to claw the deficit back to two as he made the match 9-7, but nothing was going to stand in the way of Ding from winning that elusive first title in five years.
With the home crowd expectant, China’s greatest player was able to hold both his nerve and composure winning the final frame he needed in style to close out the contest 10-7.
A fearless player with the way he takes on and approaches the game, in the five years preceding Ding’s victory there have been several near misses. Not one to be deterred or put off by his failures or the emergence of several new Chinese stars, Ding’s victory at the International Championship was a just reward for his skill, tenacity and talent.
With this win now in his pocket, he will hope to carry on this form into 2025 and complete his dream of being crowned China’s first ever World Champion.
No Rest For Ding With The Action Continuing Thick And Fast With Champion of Champions
£150,000 is up for grabs at the Champion of Champions that is taking place this week in Bolton.
An invitational event, Ding will be playing and has been handed a tough draw against Judd Trump in the opening round.
In some ways the matchup against Trump could be exactly what he needs. No doubt set to be jaded following his exploits at the International Championship, Ding can face Trump safe in the knowledge that nobody will expect him to win.
However, with Ding likely to be full of confidence, he will have no fears with facing off against the former World Champion and a surprise could well be on the cards.
Andrew Blakely
At 35, Andrew Blakely stands as a seasoned expert in both snooker and its betting intricacies. A dedicated player and analyst, he offers keen insights derived from years in the field. Through his writings, Andrew aspires to guide enthusiasts navigating the captivating world of snooker betting.
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