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DING Junhui stumbled into the second round draw at the Grand Prix in Glasgow after a 5-4 win over Matthew Stevens.
Ding, a quarter finalist at the Shanghai Masters won a dour opening frame from the Welshman without any meaningful contribution. Stevens looking too nervy was kicking himself for how many visits he was making to the table without putting together any breaks of note. There was precious little flowing snooker that both players are renowned for as both players struggled to adapt to how quickly the table was playing.
Buoyed up by winning the opener Ding was the beneficiary of gifts in the second frame as Stevens, at last in decent position on the table miscued on a long straight blue. As Stevens walked away from the table Ding quickly dispatched a red on the cushion, close to the corner pocket and stunned round behind the black to put himself in prime position. From that Ding made 63 to lead 2-0.
Stevens badly needed to take the third frame if he was to stop Ding from walking away with the match- and Ding's penchant for trying to be too ambitious with his shot selection came to the Welshman's rescue as a rash attempt to cut a thin red in from distance presented Stevens with the easiest opener possible. From a red to the centre Stevens made 39 to at least put him in control of the frame, but still he couldn't finish it off- and he was made to sweat after he missed a simple green that would have put the frame beyond any doubt. Ding required two snookers to steal the frame but failed to put Matthew under any pressure and it was a relieved Stevens who finally crawled over the line with the help of the final red.
As Stevens visibly relaxed he took the fourth with bits and pieces to level at 2-2. The Welshman looking the more positive player as Ding retreated into his shell as they reached the intermission. Ding couldn't get out of the arena quick enough- the frustration in his body language was evident for everyone to see.
Each frame was having more twists and turns than the Suzuka grand prix circuit where Jenson Button had attempted to wrap up the Formula One world drivers championship- and the pattern continued in frame 5 as Stevens in first made 40 before running out of position. Bits and pieces took him to frame ball yellow only to make a hash of his safety shot before clinching it on the brown. With relief surging through him Stevens then took a 4-2 lead - but not without a few anxious moments as Stevens, once again taking the initiative managed to put himself under needless pressure in gifting Ding a chance to snatch it on the colours. Ding's miscue on the brown though was to prove costly as Matthew cleared up to put himself within one frame of victory.
Blessed with breakbuilding prowess Ding closed to 3-4 when he took full advantage of an dreadful attempt of a long red from Stevens to fire in a break of 105 and give Matthew a timely reminder that he wasn't quite finished yet.
With Stevens leading 31-0 in frame eight all he needed was a good chance to help him complete victory. He had it when he dropped in a long red dead weight from baulk and look set for the win. But a horrific blunder on the green scuppered his hopes and Ding grabbed the lifeline he had been thrown and countered with 39 before constructing a vicious snooker on the green- with the remaining two reds at the far end of the table. Stevens's escape saw him put the cue ball in the jaws of the top pocket and ultimatley forced a mistake from Ding - who left the red hanging over the middle pocket. Stevens grabbed his chance dispatched the red and promptly chucked it away when he left the final red in the jaws of the corner pocket. Back in a match he though he had lost Ding cleared up with 26 to take the match into a decider.
And it was the sucker punch as Ding powered in a long red from baulk that Stevens had left sitting over the corner pocket and made a break of 51 to snatch the match from Stevens grasp- who was left to count the cost of the numerous unforced errors he had made in the final three frames that cost him dear.
Meanwhile Ali Carter crashed out the Grand Prix after suffering a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Robert Milkins.
Carter, who had just become a father for the first time a few days ago to a little boy, Max, looked absolutely shattered against the world number 55 from Gloucester. Milkins was 3-1 up at the mid session interval with Carter's mind seemingly, and understandably elsewhere but the snooker table. Milkins though had no problems with his concentration and held a 45-24 lead in frame five with just the colours remaining. Left with a long green to the corner pocket Carter missed it by a mile and then conceded the frame after Milkins potted it from distance into the top corner pocket.
Carter threatened to force his way back into the match with an opening effort of 47 but ran out of position- but leading 52-12 went in off and presented Milkins with a long straight red from baulk. The Gloucester man needed no second invitation as he fired in the red and cleared up with 54 to pinch the frame and take his place in the draw for the second round.
Suzy Jardine
Ding, a quarter finalist at the Shanghai Masters won a dour opening frame from the Welshman without any meaningful contribution. Stevens looking too nervy was kicking himself for how many visits he was making to the table without putting together any breaks of note. There was precious little flowing snooker that both players are renowned for as both players struggled to adapt to how quickly the table was playing.
Buoyed up by winning the opener Ding was the beneficiary of gifts in the second frame as Stevens, at last in decent position on the table miscued on a long straight blue. As Stevens walked away from the table Ding quickly dispatched a red on the cushion, close to the corner pocket and stunned round behind the black to put himself in prime position. From that Ding made 63 to lead 2-0.
Stevens badly needed to take the third frame if he was to stop Ding from walking away with the match- and Ding's penchant for trying to be too ambitious with his shot selection came to the Welshman's rescue as a rash attempt to cut a thin red in from distance presented Stevens with the easiest opener possible. From a red to the centre Stevens made 39 to at least put him in control of the frame, but still he couldn't finish it off- and he was made to sweat after he missed a simple green that would have put the frame beyond any doubt. Ding required two snookers to steal the frame but failed to put Matthew under any pressure and it was a relieved Stevens who finally crawled over the line with the help of the final red.
As Stevens visibly relaxed he took the fourth with bits and pieces to level at 2-2. The Welshman looking the more positive player as Ding retreated into his shell as they reached the intermission. Ding couldn't get out of the arena quick enough- the frustration in his body language was evident for everyone to see.
Each frame was having more twists and turns than the Suzuka grand prix circuit where Jenson Button had attempted to wrap up the Formula One world drivers championship- and the pattern continued in frame 5 as Stevens in first made 40 before running out of position. Bits and pieces took him to frame ball yellow only to make a hash of his safety shot before clinching it on the brown. With relief surging through him Stevens then took a 4-2 lead - but not without a few anxious moments as Stevens, once again taking the initiative managed to put himself under needless pressure in gifting Ding a chance to snatch it on the colours. Ding's miscue on the brown though was to prove costly as Matthew cleared up to put himself within one frame of victory.
Blessed with breakbuilding prowess Ding closed to 3-4 when he took full advantage of an dreadful attempt of a long red from Stevens to fire in a break of 105 and give Matthew a timely reminder that he wasn't quite finished yet.
With Stevens leading 31-0 in frame eight all he needed was a good chance to help him complete victory. He had it when he dropped in a long red dead weight from baulk and look set for the win. But a horrific blunder on the green scuppered his hopes and Ding grabbed the lifeline he had been thrown and countered with 39 before constructing a vicious snooker on the green- with the remaining two reds at the far end of the table. Stevens's escape saw him put the cue ball in the jaws of the top pocket and ultimatley forced a mistake from Ding - who left the red hanging over the middle pocket. Stevens grabbed his chance dispatched the red and promptly chucked it away when he left the final red in the jaws of the corner pocket. Back in a match he though he had lost Ding cleared up with 26 to take the match into a decider.
And it was the sucker punch as Ding powered in a long red from baulk that Stevens had left sitting over the corner pocket and made a break of 51 to snatch the match from Stevens grasp- who was left to count the cost of the numerous unforced errors he had made in the final three frames that cost him dear.
Meanwhile Ali Carter crashed out the Grand Prix after suffering a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Robert Milkins.
Carter, who had just become a father for the first time a few days ago to a little boy, Max, looked absolutely shattered against the world number 55 from Gloucester. Milkins was 3-1 up at the mid session interval with Carter's mind seemingly, and understandably elsewhere but the snooker table. Milkins though had no problems with his concentration and held a 45-24 lead in frame five with just the colours remaining. Left with a long green to the corner pocket Carter missed it by a mile and then conceded the frame after Milkins potted it from distance into the top corner pocket.
Carter threatened to force his way back into the match with an opening effort of 47 but ran out of position- but leading 52-12 went in off and presented Milkins with a long straight red from baulk. The Gloucester man needed no second invitation as he fired in the red and cleared up with 54 to pinch the frame and take his place in the draw for the second round.
Suzy Jardine
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