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DING Junhui clinched a second UK Championship title with a hard fought 10-8 victory over John Higgins.
Ding, champion in 2005 needed all his powers of concentration in an absorbing encounter with the two times champion, who on nine occasions led by the odd frame in a gripping match. Far from being one way traffic, this was matchplay snooker from two deserving finalists who went toe to toe with each other. And on a night which saw the outcome of X Factor decided there was no public vote to decide the winner merely skill and temperament.
It was Ding who settled the first as he won a nervy opener with a break of 81. But Higgins was equal to the challenge and quickly reminded Ding that if he slipped up he would punish him. No more so was this in evidence than in the second frame when Ding well placed with a 43 broke down. Higgins swiftly responded with an effort of 67. It was frame for frame stuff and neither player was giving an inch as the Chinese raced away with a break of 69 to leave John needing snookers before Ding rattled in a long red to put the issue beyond doubt.
With Ding leading 2-1 the onus was on Higgins- who knows well enough what a strong front runner the Chinese player is to take the fourth frame and go into the interval at 2-2. A break of 67 did the initial damage before he lost position on the final red. Ding's attempts to prize an opening were to prove in vain as he left the Scot a red to the centre pocket. Drilling the red into the pocket Higgins effectively put the frame beyond any doubt as it left Ding chasing three snookers. He found one though as he left the cue ball behind the brown in baulk with the yellow half way down the table just off the side cushion. Try as he could he could not force the other two as Higgins settled whatever butterflies he may have had by sinking yellow to the top corner pocket and clearing the green and brown to level at 2-2.
Higgins would have been keen to have pressed home his advantage- except he managed to miss an easy black off it's spot after ramming in a long red. Throwing the chance to Ding the Chinese player did not drop the ball as he powered in a break of 63 before running out of position on the blue. With all the remaining reds lying close to the side cushion a counter attack from Higgins was always going to be difficult- and Ding holding the whip hand made sure of the frame - albeit with a fluke and rolled in 15 points to lead 3-2. And he should have taken a humdinger of a sixth frame that lasted 55minutes. Neither player could string any meaningful break together with the colours scattered around the table and eventually Ding chiselled out a lead of 34-5. Ding though, chancing his arm at an ambitious long red was made to sit in his chair and watch as John inched his way back into the frame with a run of 23 before being forced to play safe. With the scores standing at 28-41 it was Ding who cracked first as he left John a long red to the corner. The ball flew into the pocket and made 17 before missing the final brown. The brown looked to be the key to the frame and Ding though was to get another chance when a Higgins double kiss on the brown left it sitting over the "green" pocket. The Chinese player sunk the brown and a straight blue to the top corner. Now all he needed was the pink - tight on the side cushion close to the "yellow" pocket with the cue ball not far behind it. Ding's cueing was straight- but agonisingly the pink refused to drop and Higgins helped himself to the gift. Dropping the pink in he screwed back to the top cushion to leave himself a tricky black to the centre. With a deep breath the Scot rolled the black in dead weight to level at 3-3.
Higgins should have taken full advantage after metaphorically kicking Ding in the teeth. But Ding is a tough customer and refused to allow it to affect him. And he struck back with a run of 21 before being forced into playing safe. He was soon back at the table- powering in a long red, only to see the cue ball disappear into the centre pocket. Higgins in prime position countered with 49 before jawing a red in trying to cut it back to the top corner pocket. Stepping in Ding made no mistake with a red to the top corner pocket along the cushion with a break of 44 to pinch the frame and lead 4-3. But John Higgins isn't one to disappear out of a game easily and replied in the style of a champion with a break of 80 to square the match at the end of the first session at 4-4.
Resuming both players had their chances in a scrappy frame that was effectively decided when the Scot knocked in a red while potting the blue, and Ding with a red to the centre edged in front 4-5.
Higgins had to start taking his chances when they presented themselves. Frame 10 was vital to him, trailing 4-5, he could ill afford to go 4-6 behind, and he got a bit of help as Ding's miscue saw him jump a red and hand Higgins an opportunity. A break of 42 was followed by an effort of 23 and it was level at 5-5.
Yet Ding would not go away - and neither would the errors with John's safety game. Helped out in no small measure by that Ding capitalised with a break of 50 to once again nose in front 6-5.
So could Higgins respond. Initially the answer looked to be no as Ding powered in a long red from the jaws of the "green" pocket and was in prime position only to miss a simple red. And it was here that Higgins had a slice of luck as a he missed a easy red to the corner- but found the black had come to his rescue and snookered Ding. Trying to swerve round the black was Ding's big mistake and he missed the red and left John to apply the merest of touch shots to drop the red in and ram in a break of 91 to level at 6-6 at the mid session interval.
So who would be unlucky in frame 13. Well in truth luck didn't enter into it, merely tightness in Ding's arm as he missed an easy red to the corner. Higgins swiftly put the Chinese star under pressure with a 42 break beofre missing a red to the corner. But he had left nothing easy, and neither was there an obvious safety shot. Ding forced into taking on a risky red missed it and John promptly rolled in a break of 36 to move in front for the first time in the match 7-6. Could Ding respond, well he got a fair bit of help when John cueing a blue into the centre suffered a kick. The blue rolled away to the baulk end of the table and gave Ding a chance to counter and he didn't fluff his lines as he sank a red to the corner and stroked in a break of 74. They were like two prize fighters who were absorbing the punishment that each other dished out. And there was no punching above their weight.
As the match approached it's climax it veared from the sublime to the surreal, and no two people will testify to that more than John and Ding. John with an early runs of 27 and 18 managed to engineer a frame winning chance with the scores poised at 46-42 when after failing to escape from a devilish snooker on two occasions when stuck behind the pink with the last red just off the top cushion managed to fluke the red on the third time of asking when he came off the side and top cushions. It must have been a bitter pill for Ding to swallow- but thankfully he hadn't drunk the water when John clearing yellow and green lined up an elementary brown to the "green" pocket. To oohs and ahhs the brown stayed out and sat invitingly over the pocket. Walking to the table, scarcely able to believe his luck Ding sank the remaining colours to snatch the frame on the black 64-58.
Could Higgins push that to the back of his memory and recover- well the answer looked to be yes as going well on a break of 49 he missed a cutback red to the top corner pocket. Ding inched his way back into the frame to trail 49-42 as they came to the colours. And it was Ding, who was now beating John with his safety as much as his potting who struck the key blow when he forced Higgins into going for a risky yellow. Higgings threw all the power into it that he could but saw it wobble in the jaws before bouncing across to the opposite top corner pocket , coming to rest on the cushion just inches from the bag. The cue ball had rolled away to baulk. There was never a moment of doubt in Ding's mind as he drilled in the yellow and cleared to the pink to chissell out a two frame advantage of 9-7. Could Higgins respond. He has an impressive track record of snatching victory from impending defeat. Would he repeat the trick here in Telford.
With his back to the wall Higgins showed no sign of giving in as he powered in a long red to the top corner pocket and swiftly rattled in a break of 115, his 426th century of his professional career and a timely reminder to Ding that he was finished by any stretch of the imagination. Still though he trailed- but the momentum had shifted. Ding knew in no uncertain terms that John was still in this match.
And he would have been sweating as John grabbed the first chance of frame 18. Nicely place in among the balls and going smoothly on a run of 27 he lined up a red to the corner. Trying to pinch a bit of the pocket he left it in the jaws. John turned away in anguish, he knew it was all over.
For Ding all he had to so was hold his nerve, and rolling in the red, he followed with the black and strode around the table picking the reds off one by one. As the match approached the witching hour one man had left us spellbound by a new mature, considered side to his game that saw Ding compile a decisive break of 75 that left Higgins needing snookers. He found one as he left the final red stuck behind the black. Ding's escape slipped round the back of the red and left a freeball. As he hunted for the remaining two snookers that he needed Higgins left Ding a half chance of the final red to the corner. With a deep breath Ding struck the red and scrambled in the yellow, green and brown to make sure of the title and be warmly congratulated by John Higgins.
As he was presented with the trophy the smile of Ding lit up the Telford Centre, together with that of his mother. It was a deserving triumph as the Telford crowd witnessed the return of man who is now close to the complete player at the end of a decade of competing in professional snooker.
Suzy Jardine
Ding, champion in 2005 needed all his powers of concentration in an absorbing encounter with the two times champion, who on nine occasions led by the odd frame in a gripping match. Far from being one way traffic, this was matchplay snooker from two deserving finalists who went toe to toe with each other. And on a night which saw the outcome of X Factor decided there was no public vote to decide the winner merely skill and temperament.
It was Ding who settled the first as he won a nervy opener with a break of 81. But Higgins was equal to the challenge and quickly reminded Ding that if he slipped up he would punish him. No more so was this in evidence than in the second frame when Ding well placed with a 43 broke down. Higgins swiftly responded with an effort of 67. It was frame for frame stuff and neither player was giving an inch as the Chinese raced away with a break of 69 to leave John needing snookers before Ding rattled in a long red to put the issue beyond doubt.
With Ding leading 2-1 the onus was on Higgins- who knows well enough what a strong front runner the Chinese player is to take the fourth frame and go into the interval at 2-2. A break of 67 did the initial damage before he lost position on the final red. Ding's attempts to prize an opening were to prove in vain as he left the Scot a red to the centre pocket. Drilling the red into the pocket Higgins effectively put the frame beyond any doubt as it left Ding chasing three snookers. He found one though as he left the cue ball behind the brown in baulk with the yellow half way down the table just off the side cushion. Try as he could he could not force the other two as Higgins settled whatever butterflies he may have had by sinking yellow to the top corner pocket and clearing the green and brown to level at 2-2.
Higgins would have been keen to have pressed home his advantage- except he managed to miss an easy black off it's spot after ramming in a long red. Throwing the chance to Ding the Chinese player did not drop the ball as he powered in a break of 63 before running out of position on the blue. With all the remaining reds lying close to the side cushion a counter attack from Higgins was always going to be difficult- and Ding holding the whip hand made sure of the frame - albeit with a fluke and rolled in 15 points to lead 3-2. And he should have taken a humdinger of a sixth frame that lasted 55minutes. Neither player could string any meaningful break together with the colours scattered around the table and eventually Ding chiselled out a lead of 34-5. Ding though, chancing his arm at an ambitious long red was made to sit in his chair and watch as John inched his way back into the frame with a run of 23 before being forced to play safe. With the scores standing at 28-41 it was Ding who cracked first as he left John a long red to the corner. The ball flew into the pocket and made 17 before missing the final brown. The brown looked to be the key to the frame and Ding though was to get another chance when a Higgins double kiss on the brown left it sitting over the "green" pocket. The Chinese player sunk the brown and a straight blue to the top corner. Now all he needed was the pink - tight on the side cushion close to the "yellow" pocket with the cue ball not far behind it. Ding's cueing was straight- but agonisingly the pink refused to drop and Higgins helped himself to the gift. Dropping the pink in he screwed back to the top cushion to leave himself a tricky black to the centre. With a deep breath the Scot rolled the black in dead weight to level at 3-3.
Higgins should have taken full advantage after metaphorically kicking Ding in the teeth. But Ding is a tough customer and refused to allow it to affect him. And he struck back with a run of 21 before being forced into playing safe. He was soon back at the table- powering in a long red, only to see the cue ball disappear into the centre pocket. Higgins in prime position countered with 49 before jawing a red in trying to cut it back to the top corner pocket. Stepping in Ding made no mistake with a red to the top corner pocket along the cushion with a break of 44 to pinch the frame and lead 4-3. But John Higgins isn't one to disappear out of a game easily and replied in the style of a champion with a break of 80 to square the match at the end of the first session at 4-4.
Resuming both players had their chances in a scrappy frame that was effectively decided when the Scot knocked in a red while potting the blue, and Ding with a red to the centre edged in front 4-5.
Higgins had to start taking his chances when they presented themselves. Frame 10 was vital to him, trailing 4-5, he could ill afford to go 4-6 behind, and he got a bit of help as Ding's miscue saw him jump a red and hand Higgins an opportunity. A break of 42 was followed by an effort of 23 and it was level at 5-5.
Yet Ding would not go away - and neither would the errors with John's safety game. Helped out in no small measure by that Ding capitalised with a break of 50 to once again nose in front 6-5.
So could Higgins respond. Initially the answer looked to be no as Ding powered in a long red from the jaws of the "green" pocket and was in prime position only to miss a simple red. And it was here that Higgins had a slice of luck as a he missed a easy red to the corner- but found the black had come to his rescue and snookered Ding. Trying to swerve round the black was Ding's big mistake and he missed the red and left John to apply the merest of touch shots to drop the red in and ram in a break of 91 to level at 6-6 at the mid session interval.
So who would be unlucky in frame 13. Well in truth luck didn't enter into it, merely tightness in Ding's arm as he missed an easy red to the corner. Higgins swiftly put the Chinese star under pressure with a 42 break beofre missing a red to the corner. But he had left nothing easy, and neither was there an obvious safety shot. Ding forced into taking on a risky red missed it and John promptly rolled in a break of 36 to move in front for the first time in the match 7-6. Could Ding respond, well he got a fair bit of help when John cueing a blue into the centre suffered a kick. The blue rolled away to the baulk end of the table and gave Ding a chance to counter and he didn't fluff his lines as he sank a red to the corner and stroked in a break of 74. They were like two prize fighters who were absorbing the punishment that each other dished out. And there was no punching above their weight.
As the match approached it's climax it veared from the sublime to the surreal, and no two people will testify to that more than John and Ding. John with an early runs of 27 and 18 managed to engineer a frame winning chance with the scores poised at 46-42 when after failing to escape from a devilish snooker on two occasions when stuck behind the pink with the last red just off the top cushion managed to fluke the red on the third time of asking when he came off the side and top cushions. It must have been a bitter pill for Ding to swallow- but thankfully he hadn't drunk the water when John clearing yellow and green lined up an elementary brown to the "green" pocket. To oohs and ahhs the brown stayed out and sat invitingly over the pocket. Walking to the table, scarcely able to believe his luck Ding sank the remaining colours to snatch the frame on the black 64-58.
Could Higgins push that to the back of his memory and recover- well the answer looked to be yes as going well on a break of 49 he missed a cutback red to the top corner pocket. Ding inched his way back into the frame to trail 49-42 as they came to the colours. And it was Ding, who was now beating John with his safety as much as his potting who struck the key blow when he forced Higgins into going for a risky yellow. Higgings threw all the power into it that he could but saw it wobble in the jaws before bouncing across to the opposite top corner pocket , coming to rest on the cushion just inches from the bag. The cue ball had rolled away to baulk. There was never a moment of doubt in Ding's mind as he drilled in the yellow and cleared to the pink to chissell out a two frame advantage of 9-7. Could Higgins respond. He has an impressive track record of snatching victory from impending defeat. Would he repeat the trick here in Telford.
With his back to the wall Higgins showed no sign of giving in as he powered in a long red to the top corner pocket and swiftly rattled in a break of 115, his 426th century of his professional career and a timely reminder to Ding that he was finished by any stretch of the imagination. Still though he trailed- but the momentum had shifted. Ding knew in no uncertain terms that John was still in this match.
And he would have been sweating as John grabbed the first chance of frame 18. Nicely place in among the balls and going smoothly on a run of 27 he lined up a red to the corner. Trying to pinch a bit of the pocket he left it in the jaws. John turned away in anguish, he knew it was all over.
For Ding all he had to so was hold his nerve, and rolling in the red, he followed with the black and strode around the table picking the reds off one by one. As the match approached the witching hour one man had left us spellbound by a new mature, considered side to his game that saw Ding compile a decisive break of 75 that left Higgins needing snookers. He found one as he left the final red stuck behind the black. Ding's escape slipped round the back of the red and left a freeball. As he hunted for the remaining two snookers that he needed Higgins left Ding a half chance of the final red to the corner. With a deep breath Ding struck the red and scrambled in the yellow, green and brown to make sure of the title and be warmly congratulated by John Higgins.
As he was presented with the trophy the smile of Ding lit up the Telford Centre, together with that of his mother. It was a deserving triumph as the Telford crowd witnessed the return of man who is now close to the complete player at the end of a decade of competing in professional snooker.
Suzy Jardine
Thanks Susy.
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