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DING Junhui disposed of Stephen Maguire with a 9-5 victory to book a place in the UK Championship final here in Telford.
The Chinese star, who ended the reign of defending champion Shaun Murphy in the second round, and then wrecked Ali Carter's hopes in a final frame shootout added the scalp of second UK Champion to his list of conquests this week with a combination of strong potting and intelligent tactical play that Maguire had no answer to.
Maguire, who held a series advantage of 6 victories to 1 over Ding would have been happy with the start he got in the opening frame as he took advantage of some visable nerves from Ding to roll in a 73 break to lead 1-0. But Maguire, while he has consistently had the better of his matches against Ding would have still had the memory of his quarter final defeat by Ding in the Grand Prix fresh in his mind, and therefore knew he would have to be patient and not fall into the trap of going for low percentage shots.
What a shame he didn't absorb it as Ding signalled his intentions in frame two. Leaving Stephen anchored under the baulk cushion Maguire caught his safety too thickly and managed to leave a red to the corner from mid range. The Chinese man lined up the pot and from it made 23. In truth he should have made more, but in potting the blue he struck the cue ball too thinly and found himself close to the side cushion. Still there was a red on to the corner- but position on a colour was going to be nigh on impossible. As Ding potted the red he was already working out in his mind where to leave the cue ball. Sending it off the black down to the baulk end Stephen was now faced with a tricky route back to the "safe" end of the table. Maguire's double kiss on his safety let Ding in again, but he was only able to make 11. A careless miss on a red to the corner looked to have presented Stephen with a chance to counter attack but a bad miss on a red threw the frame back to Ding- and this time he didn't drop the ball. Rattling in a 66 break the match was squared at 1-1.
Stephens's safety problems continued in frame 3 when he pushed a red to the corner pocket, leaving it begging to be potted. Ding didn't need a second invitation this time and after sinking the red fired in a break of 75. Frame four was almost a re-run, Maguire still couldn't locate the baulk cushion from the break off and promptly handed Ding a chance of a red to the corner. Powering the red in Ding looked set for a sizeable break at least- except he managed to overcook a pot on the black and the cue ball swung into the pack of reds and stuck on one. Ding looked around in disgust, 31 was a poor return for such a gilt edged chance. He negotiated a safety but will have kicked himself when he went for a reckless red to the centre pocket. The mistake was to cost him dear as he left an easy starter for Stephen and it was a very relieved Maguire who sank an easy red to the corner and stroked in a break of 99 to be leavel at the mid session interval.
The same pattern of play continued in frame five. Maguire going for a risky long red and being forced to sit and watch Ding put together a run of 36, and then one of 32. Trailing 0-68 Maguire needed everyhting that was available on the table. He managed to prize a chance from Ding, who tried to roll up dead weight to two reds which were attached to the side cushion. Sinking the red Maguire had to pot the pink to the centre if he wasn't to need a snooker. He missed and conceded the frame. From that intial 1-0 lead Stephen now trailed 2-3.
And he was soon in deeper trouble in frame six as a long red to the top corner pocket wobbled in the jaws, and because of the pace he played it with the red rebounded into the centre of the table, with the cue ball following behind it. With the simplest of reds to the corner Ding capitalised in one visit this time with a break of 83 that only ended with a miss on the final pink. Maguire must have been seething with his form, and he had even more reason to feel frustrated with himself as two safety errors let Ding in for runs of 19 and 20 before he miss hit a safety shot - and saw it roll enticingly over the centre pocket. With the cue ball sitting close behind Ding was presented with a dream chance to close out the frame- and this time he made no mistake with a 54 to give himself a three frame lead.
Stephen badly needed the eighth frame if he was going to give himself a realistic chance of recovering in the second session. As safety errors continued to litter the opening session it was Ding who slipped up when trailing by 45-0 was finally left a chance. Giving each ball full care and attention the Scot dragged himself back into the match with a break of 64 to trail by 3-5 at the interval and set up an intriguing conclusion to the match.
On the resumption Maguire knew he had to remove the deficit quickly, and it meant cutting out the unforced errors and improving his safety game, which had let him down in the first session.And he got a fair bit of help from Ding, who going sweetly on a break of 35 decided to go for a red off the pink spot rather than an easier available pot on another red. Maguire countered with a 39 - only to miss a simple pink. Ding though couldn't capitalise and it was Maguire who now led 53-35 who wrapped up the frame albeit with a wobble when Ding forced the necessary snooker to haul himself back into the frame after Maguire had missed a frame clinching pink. It was Ding who gave Maguire nightmares as he sunk a long pink- and then had first look at the black. It was a cut to the "green" pocket but the Chinese player overcut it leaving the black to roll away on to the baulk cushion, just inches from the pocket, with the cue ball the length of the table from it. Maguire dug deep, and cued the black-and it rolled into the pocket and reduced the deficit to 4-5.
The pattern repeated itself in frame 10 as Ding spurned two great chances to put together a frame winning break- making only 41 points- and missing a simple pink in the process. Maguire back in a frame he thought he had kissed goodbye to replied with a 47, only to run out of position when in potting a red cannoned into the black - sending it to the top cushion - and ultimatley himself to the sanctuary of safety. With the scores at 47-41, and one red left on the table Ding left a mid length red. Steadying himself Stephen sank it and then followed with pink, yellow, green and brown. All he needed to be certain was a mid length blue. He missed it and allowed Ding to put him under pressure by forcing the snooker he needed when he left the blue ball hidden behind the pink and the cue ball tight under the baulk cushion. As Maguire's attempted escape clipped the pink Ding could now snatch the frame. But Ding elected not to take his shot and exercised his option to make Maguire play again. He was to regret it as the Scotsman fluked the blue into the centre pocket to level at 5-5.
If Ding was rattled he didn't let it show as he took full advantage of a Maguire in off to roll in a break of 134 to ease the butterflies and regain the lead at 6-5. One frame shy of the interval - was it to be 6-6 or 7-5 to the Chinese player. The answer was 7-5 as Ding's early runs of 31,22 and 11 proved decisive. Yet Maguire had his chances in this frame too- and will no doubt rue the missed black of it's spot, that could well have seen him level the scores.
And how crucial were those two frames as from there Ding never looked back. An early run of 18 for Maguire came to an end when he missed a blue off it's spot. Ding was ready and waiting. A patient break of 45 - helped in no small measure by an easy starter of a red that Stephen had left him and some pressure potting took him close to the winning line in the frame- before getting over it when Maguire jawed a long red leaving Ding with a shot to nothing. The red disappeared as did 16 precious points to give Ding the frame and with it a 8-5 lead. One more frame needed for a place in the final.
The end was nigh and when Stephen's attempt at a long red wobbled in the jaws of the "green" pocket he turned away knowing the inevitable was awaiting. The red was dispatched by Ding who then pieced together a break of 69 to complete a deserved victory against a disappointing Maguire; and to set up a final with one of Ronnie O'Sullivan or John Higgins who come face to face with each other tomorrow.
Suzy Jardine
The Chinese star, who ended the reign of defending champion Shaun Murphy in the second round, and then wrecked Ali Carter's hopes in a final frame shootout added the scalp of second UK Champion to his list of conquests this week with a combination of strong potting and intelligent tactical play that Maguire had no answer to.
Maguire, who held a series advantage of 6 victories to 1 over Ding would have been happy with the start he got in the opening frame as he took advantage of some visable nerves from Ding to roll in a 73 break to lead 1-0. But Maguire, while he has consistently had the better of his matches against Ding would have still had the memory of his quarter final defeat by Ding in the Grand Prix fresh in his mind, and therefore knew he would have to be patient and not fall into the trap of going for low percentage shots.
What a shame he didn't absorb it as Ding signalled his intentions in frame two. Leaving Stephen anchored under the baulk cushion Maguire caught his safety too thickly and managed to leave a red to the corner from mid range. The Chinese man lined up the pot and from it made 23. In truth he should have made more, but in potting the blue he struck the cue ball too thinly and found himself close to the side cushion. Still there was a red on to the corner- but position on a colour was going to be nigh on impossible. As Ding potted the red he was already working out in his mind where to leave the cue ball. Sending it off the black down to the baulk end Stephen was now faced with a tricky route back to the "safe" end of the table. Maguire's double kiss on his safety let Ding in again, but he was only able to make 11. A careless miss on a red to the corner looked to have presented Stephen with a chance to counter attack but a bad miss on a red threw the frame back to Ding- and this time he didn't drop the ball. Rattling in a 66 break the match was squared at 1-1.
Stephens's safety problems continued in frame 3 when he pushed a red to the corner pocket, leaving it begging to be potted. Ding didn't need a second invitation this time and after sinking the red fired in a break of 75. Frame four was almost a re-run, Maguire still couldn't locate the baulk cushion from the break off and promptly handed Ding a chance of a red to the corner. Powering the red in Ding looked set for a sizeable break at least- except he managed to overcook a pot on the black and the cue ball swung into the pack of reds and stuck on one. Ding looked around in disgust, 31 was a poor return for such a gilt edged chance. He negotiated a safety but will have kicked himself when he went for a reckless red to the centre pocket. The mistake was to cost him dear as he left an easy starter for Stephen and it was a very relieved Maguire who sank an easy red to the corner and stroked in a break of 99 to be leavel at the mid session interval.
The same pattern of play continued in frame five. Maguire going for a risky long red and being forced to sit and watch Ding put together a run of 36, and then one of 32. Trailing 0-68 Maguire needed everyhting that was available on the table. He managed to prize a chance from Ding, who tried to roll up dead weight to two reds which were attached to the side cushion. Sinking the red Maguire had to pot the pink to the centre if he wasn't to need a snooker. He missed and conceded the frame. From that intial 1-0 lead Stephen now trailed 2-3.
And he was soon in deeper trouble in frame six as a long red to the top corner pocket wobbled in the jaws, and because of the pace he played it with the red rebounded into the centre of the table, with the cue ball following behind it. With the simplest of reds to the corner Ding capitalised in one visit this time with a break of 83 that only ended with a miss on the final pink. Maguire must have been seething with his form, and he had even more reason to feel frustrated with himself as two safety errors let Ding in for runs of 19 and 20 before he miss hit a safety shot - and saw it roll enticingly over the centre pocket. With the cue ball sitting close behind Ding was presented with a dream chance to close out the frame- and this time he made no mistake with a 54 to give himself a three frame lead.
Stephen badly needed the eighth frame if he was going to give himself a realistic chance of recovering in the second session. As safety errors continued to litter the opening session it was Ding who slipped up when trailing by 45-0 was finally left a chance. Giving each ball full care and attention the Scot dragged himself back into the match with a break of 64 to trail by 3-5 at the interval and set up an intriguing conclusion to the match.
On the resumption Maguire knew he had to remove the deficit quickly, and it meant cutting out the unforced errors and improving his safety game, which had let him down in the first session.And he got a fair bit of help from Ding, who going sweetly on a break of 35 decided to go for a red off the pink spot rather than an easier available pot on another red. Maguire countered with a 39 - only to miss a simple pink. Ding though couldn't capitalise and it was Maguire who now led 53-35 who wrapped up the frame albeit with a wobble when Ding forced the necessary snooker to haul himself back into the frame after Maguire had missed a frame clinching pink. It was Ding who gave Maguire nightmares as he sunk a long pink- and then had first look at the black. It was a cut to the "green" pocket but the Chinese player overcut it leaving the black to roll away on to the baulk cushion, just inches from the pocket, with the cue ball the length of the table from it. Maguire dug deep, and cued the black-and it rolled into the pocket and reduced the deficit to 4-5.
The pattern repeated itself in frame 10 as Ding spurned two great chances to put together a frame winning break- making only 41 points- and missing a simple pink in the process. Maguire back in a frame he thought he had kissed goodbye to replied with a 47, only to run out of position when in potting a red cannoned into the black - sending it to the top cushion - and ultimatley himself to the sanctuary of safety. With the scores at 47-41, and one red left on the table Ding left a mid length red. Steadying himself Stephen sank it and then followed with pink, yellow, green and brown. All he needed to be certain was a mid length blue. He missed it and allowed Ding to put him under pressure by forcing the snooker he needed when he left the blue ball hidden behind the pink and the cue ball tight under the baulk cushion. As Maguire's attempted escape clipped the pink Ding could now snatch the frame. But Ding elected not to take his shot and exercised his option to make Maguire play again. He was to regret it as the Scotsman fluked the blue into the centre pocket to level at 5-5.
If Ding was rattled he didn't let it show as he took full advantage of a Maguire in off to roll in a break of 134 to ease the butterflies and regain the lead at 6-5. One frame shy of the interval - was it to be 6-6 or 7-5 to the Chinese player. The answer was 7-5 as Ding's early runs of 31,22 and 11 proved decisive. Yet Maguire had his chances in this frame too- and will no doubt rue the missed black of it's spot, that could well have seen him level the scores.
And how crucial were those two frames as from there Ding never looked back. An early run of 18 for Maguire came to an end when he missed a blue off it's spot. Ding was ready and waiting. A patient break of 45 - helped in no small measure by an easy starter of a red that Stephen had left him and some pressure potting took him close to the winning line in the frame- before getting over it when Maguire jawed a long red leaving Ding with a shot to nothing. The red disappeared as did 16 precious points to give Ding the frame and with it a 8-5 lead. One more frame needed for a place in the final.
The end was nigh and when Stephen's attempt at a long red wobbled in the jaws of the "green" pocket he turned away knowing the inevitable was awaiting. The red was dispatched by Ding who then pieced together a break of 69 to complete a deserved victory against a disappointing Maguire; and to set up a final with one of Ronnie O'Sullivan or John Higgins who come face to face with each other tomorrow.
Suzy Jardine
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