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DING Junhui eased into the final of the Grand Prix after crushing a disappointing Mark Williams 6-1.
Ding who had already accounted for Matthew Stevens and Stephen Maguire took full advantage of the numerous chances offered up by Williams who once again missed a high percentage of easy pots that gifted at least four frames to his younger opponant.
Yet it looked as if Williams was going to dominate after he capitalised on a break off shot from Ding where the cue ball failed to make the baulk cushion. Lining up the loan red available Williams rolled it in deadweight it into the top corner pocket and proceeded to make a clearance of 142.
But if anyone thought that was to be an ominous signs of things to come for Ding they would have been scratching their heads from the ridiculous number of pots missed by Mark in a scrappy frame two - not least a black of it's spot. How costly that proved as Ding without ever really scoring that heavily himself managed to accrue enough scraps in terms of points to leave in front 49-18 as they came to the colours, and despite jawing a frame ball final red grabbed the fourth chance Williams threw him sunk the final red and cleared up with 29 to level at 1-1.
Williams had first chance in the third frame but bizarrely after having the cueball on a piece of thread in the first frame just seemed to switch off mentally as he missed an easy red to the centre when well placed on 19. Striding to a inviting table Ding distached a red to the corner and proceeded to ram in a clearance of 103 to lead 2-1.
Mark clearly hadn't recognised the warning signs as the fourth frame started as he left Ding the sight of a long red to the top corner pocket and made 31 before chossing to keep the pressure on the Welshman by playing safe. Unfortunatley it didn't quite make the baulk cushion and Williams countered with 27 before his jinx of missing easy balls of the spot struck again- this time the black. And he was left to sit and suffer as Ding mopped up the final red and slammed in the yellow to move two frames clear at the interval.
Williams badly needed to stop the rot but his safety play was letting him down and once agin he was left to rue the tactical side of his game in frame five as he caught a red much too thinly and pushed a redd towards the centre pocket. It was reasonably potable for Ding, but still a fine cut. With the most delicate of shots Ding dropped the red in and made 28 only to run out of position. But Ding couldn't kill the frame off and allowed Williams in. But it was to cost him only six points before a missed yellow from the Welshman all but handed the frame to his opponant. Sinking an easy yellow Ding then made sure of the frame by rolling in the green.
Williams had to knuckle down if the match was not to fizzle out in the manner it was threatening to do. And after getting in with an easy chance amongst the balls he promptly threw Ding a golden chance of his own when he missed a simple red to the corner. Ding could hardly believe how many chances he was getting from Williams and he was starting to suffer the same disaease that was affliicting Mark - namely missing easy pots. This time it was a red along the side cushion that was his undoing as he faltered on 20 leaving Mark in at close range. Wlliams knew he had to make the most of this opportunity. But once agin he was to fail when overcut a black to the corner to falter on 32. With the scores poised on 38-46 in favour of Williams the frame came down to the colours and a safety battle ensued. Eventually Mark left the yellow close to it's pocket and Ding droppedit in from distance and then snookered Mark on the green behind the brown- with the pink blocking the chance of swerving around it. On the second time of asking Mark managed to escape but soon found himself under pressure with Ding holding the whip hand in the safety battle after knocking in the green. The Chinese star then slammed in the brown only to leave the blue sitting over the corner pocket. With the white under the top cushion and the blue dead straight Mark lined up his shot. The blue never threatened the pocket and worse still the double kiss sent the blue across the table to the "green" pocket. With the blue at his mercy Ding made no mistake and then sunk a straight pink to lead 5-1.
Given a chance when Ding left his safety short of the baulk line Willims made 35 before missing an easy red to the centre. That was to be the last shot of the match as Ding drilled in a mid range red and wrapped up a resounding victory with a break of 85 to book a clash with Neil Robertson in the final.
Suzy Jardine
Ding who had already accounted for Matthew Stevens and Stephen Maguire took full advantage of the numerous chances offered up by Williams who once again missed a high percentage of easy pots that gifted at least four frames to his younger opponant.
Yet it looked as if Williams was going to dominate after he capitalised on a break off shot from Ding where the cue ball failed to make the baulk cushion. Lining up the loan red available Williams rolled it in deadweight it into the top corner pocket and proceeded to make a clearance of 142.
But if anyone thought that was to be an ominous signs of things to come for Ding they would have been scratching their heads from the ridiculous number of pots missed by Mark in a scrappy frame two - not least a black of it's spot. How costly that proved as Ding without ever really scoring that heavily himself managed to accrue enough scraps in terms of points to leave in front 49-18 as they came to the colours, and despite jawing a frame ball final red grabbed the fourth chance Williams threw him sunk the final red and cleared up with 29 to level at 1-1.
Williams had first chance in the third frame but bizarrely after having the cueball on a piece of thread in the first frame just seemed to switch off mentally as he missed an easy red to the centre when well placed on 19. Striding to a inviting table Ding distached a red to the corner and proceeded to ram in a clearance of 103 to lead 2-1.
Mark clearly hadn't recognised the warning signs as the fourth frame started as he left Ding the sight of a long red to the top corner pocket and made 31 before chossing to keep the pressure on the Welshman by playing safe. Unfortunatley it didn't quite make the baulk cushion and Williams countered with 27 before his jinx of missing easy balls of the spot struck again- this time the black. And he was left to sit and suffer as Ding mopped up the final red and slammed in the yellow to move two frames clear at the interval.
Williams badly needed to stop the rot but his safety play was letting him down and once agin he was left to rue the tactical side of his game in frame five as he caught a red much too thinly and pushed a redd towards the centre pocket. It was reasonably potable for Ding, but still a fine cut. With the most delicate of shots Ding dropped the red in and made 28 only to run out of position. But Ding couldn't kill the frame off and allowed Williams in. But it was to cost him only six points before a missed yellow from the Welshman all but handed the frame to his opponant. Sinking an easy yellow Ding then made sure of the frame by rolling in the green.
Williams had to knuckle down if the match was not to fizzle out in the manner it was threatening to do. And after getting in with an easy chance amongst the balls he promptly threw Ding a golden chance of his own when he missed a simple red to the corner. Ding could hardly believe how many chances he was getting from Williams and he was starting to suffer the same disaease that was affliicting Mark - namely missing easy pots. This time it was a red along the side cushion that was his undoing as he faltered on 20 leaving Mark in at close range. Wlliams knew he had to make the most of this opportunity. But once agin he was to fail when overcut a black to the corner to falter on 32. With the scores poised on 38-46 in favour of Williams the frame came down to the colours and a safety battle ensued. Eventually Mark left the yellow close to it's pocket and Ding droppedit in from distance and then snookered Mark on the green behind the brown- with the pink blocking the chance of swerving around it. On the second time of asking Mark managed to escape but soon found himself under pressure with Ding holding the whip hand in the safety battle after knocking in the green. The Chinese star then slammed in the brown only to leave the blue sitting over the corner pocket. With the white under the top cushion and the blue dead straight Mark lined up his shot. The blue never threatened the pocket and worse still the double kiss sent the blue across the table to the "green" pocket. With the blue at his mercy Ding made no mistake and then sunk a straight pink to lead 5-1.
Given a chance when Ding left his safety short of the baulk line Willims made 35 before missing an easy red to the centre. That was to be the last shot of the match as Ding drilled in a mid range red and wrapped up a resounding victory with a break of 85 to book a clash with Neil Robertson in the final.
Suzy Jardine
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