Ding Junhui rallied from 4-1 down to emerge from the afternoon session locked level with Ronnie O’Sullivan at 4-4 in the MrQ UK Championship final in York.
The clash is a meeting of two of snooker’s biggest global superstars. They both captured their maiden Triple Crown silverware in this tournament. Englishman O’Sullivan famously became the youngest ever winner of a ranking event when the claimed the UK title 30 years ago in 1993 at the age of 17, while China’s 14-time ranking event winner Ding burst to prominence with his victory in 2005.
Ding is aiming for his fourth UK title, having won the event in 2005, 2009 and 2019. He was runner-up to Mark Allen last year. The Rocket has a record seven UK crowns to his name and last picked up the top prize in York back in 2018.
O’Sullivan took the opener this afternoon thanks to a break of 71, but Ding looked set to hit straight back in the second. He crafted a run of 63, but after he broke down with the balls in the open O’Sullivan ruthlessly punished with 71 to lead 2-0. The pattern continued in the third, with Ding failing to convert the first opportunity and O’Sullivan making 91 to extend his advantage. Ding crucially made a break of 89 to take the last before the interval and make it 3-1.
When play resumed, O’Sullivan extended his lead to 4-1, but that was when the tide turned. Breaks of 114 and 60 helped Ding on his way to three in a row and left the tie on a knife edge heading into tonight. The first player to reach ten frames will claim the £250,000 top prize. They resume at 7pm.
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The clash is a meeting of two of snooker’s biggest global superstars. They both captured their maiden Triple Crown silverware in this tournament. Englishman O’Sullivan famously became the youngest ever winner of a ranking event when the claimed the UK title 30 years ago in 1993 at the age of 17, while China’s 14-time ranking event winner Ding burst to prominence with his victory in 2005.
Ding is aiming for his fourth UK title, having won the event in 2005, 2009 and 2019. He was runner-up to Mark Allen last year. The Rocket has a record seven UK crowns to his name and last picked up the top prize in York back in 2018.
O’Sullivan took the opener this afternoon thanks to a break of 71, but Ding looked set to hit straight back in the second. He crafted a run of 63, but after he broke down with the balls in the open O’Sullivan ruthlessly punished with 71 to lead 2-0. The pattern continued in the third, with Ding failing to convert the first opportunity and O’Sullivan making 91 to extend his advantage. Ding crucially made a break of 89 to take the last before the interval and make it 3-1.
When play resumed, O’Sullivan extended his lead to 4-1, but that was when the tide turned. Breaks of 114 and 60 helped Ding on his way to three in a row and left the tie on a knife edge heading into tonight. The first player to reach ten frames will claim the £250,000 top prize. They resume at 7pm.
The post Ding Sets Up Grandstand Finish appeared first on World Snooker.
Continue reading...
