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FORMER champion Mark Selby dispatched Ding Junhui 6-1 in the opening match of the 2010 Masters here at the Wembley Arena.
Selby, who won the title in 2008 and was runner up to Ronnie O'Sullivan last year edged through a scrappy first frame with the help of a 36 break but soon dropped into his butter smooth rhythm when he siezed upon a missed blue by the UK Champion in frame two to hammer in a break of 60.
From there Ding's head dropped as he was forced to endure another Masters nightmare as the Leicester man piled on the agony by firing in breaks of 45 and 54 to lead 4-0 at the mid session interval.
Ding at this stage would have been no doubt happy to avoid the whitewash but he was forced to endure another frame of watching snooker as well placed among the reds he managed to go in- off into the centre pocket when powering one into the corner pocket. It just about summed up Ding's day as Selby got out of his chair and slammed in a long red to the top cushion and with put together a break of 64 before faltering on the final blue. It didn't matter the damage was done and so really were Ding's chances as Selby increased his lead to 5-0.
Ding though managed to stave off the dreaded whitewash with an effort of 53 but he was merely delaying the inevitable as Selby made a break of 49 in frame seven, and despite a flurry of 41 from Ding; wrapped up the match with a run of 26 to book a place in the quarter finals against either John Higgins or Mark Allen.
Suzy Jardine
Selby, who won the title in 2008 and was runner up to Ronnie O'Sullivan last year edged through a scrappy first frame with the help of a 36 break but soon dropped into his butter smooth rhythm when he siezed upon a missed blue by the UK Champion in frame two to hammer in a break of 60.
From there Ding's head dropped as he was forced to endure another Masters nightmare as the Leicester man piled on the agony by firing in breaks of 45 and 54 to lead 4-0 at the mid session interval.
Ding at this stage would have been no doubt happy to avoid the whitewash but he was forced to endure another frame of watching snooker as well placed among the reds he managed to go in- off into the centre pocket when powering one into the corner pocket. It just about summed up Ding's day as Selby got out of his chair and slammed in a long red to the top cushion and with put together a break of 64 before faltering on the final blue. It didn't matter the damage was done and so really were Ding's chances as Selby increased his lead to 5-0.
Ding though managed to stave off the dreaded whitewash with an effort of 53 but he was merely delaying the inevitable as Selby made a break of 49 in frame seven, and despite a flurry of 41 from Ding; wrapped up the match with a run of 26 to book a place in the quarter finals against either John Higgins or Mark Allen.
Suzy Jardine