Elusive snooker trophy looms large

Ding Junhui has shed the weight of the world from his shoulders and is ready to carry off world title

In most years Ding Junhui of China would be the overwhelming favorite to win a first world snooker championship, the sport's greatest challenge, being held over 17 days in Sheffield, England, from April 19.

Ding turned 27 during the recent China Open in Beijing, and he celebrated by lifting the trophy to make it a record-equaling five major ranking-event titles in a single season. But the biggest of them all is still to come.

No player since the Scot Stephen Hendry 23 years ago has managed that feat, with new world No 2 Ding having previously triumphed at the Shanghai Masters in September, the Indian Open, the International Championship in Chengdu and the German Masters in Berlin.

And there was some neat symmetry given Beijing is where it all began for Ding, winning the first of his 11 ranking titles as a wild-card entry, and bringing the house down by beating Hendry in the final as an 18-year-old.

Ding was born in Yixing, Jiangsu province, and began playing the game when he was 8. He moved to Northamptonshire, England, to pursue his career when he was 15.

Victory at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield would almost certainly make it the greatest single season for an individual player in the history of the sport and fill a sizeable hole in Ding's CV. However, to achieve it he may have to finally get the measure of the man known as the "Rocket", the defending champion and bookmakers' favorite, Ronnie O'Sullivan of England.

O'Sullivan is regarded not only as the best player of his generation but perhaps of all time, possessing supreme natural ability and having conquered depression to find a new lease on life and play as well at 38 as he ever has to win the world title for the past two years.

That makes five in all, and as he looks for a sixth, many neutrals will be hoping both O'Sullivan and Ding make it through the first three rounds to meet as they are seeded to do in the semi-finals, over the best of 33 frames.

Of course, that may not happen. Ding has made it past the last 16 only twice in seven attempts at the Crucible, and only reached one semi-final, which he lost 17-15 to Judd Trump in 2011. But if both get through it would be a match to savor.

As a youngster, Ding modeled his game on O'Sullivan, but for all his successes he has never been able to dominate his idol. The biggest, perhaps only, disappointment of his season was the meek surrender to O'Sullivan when they met in the final of the Welsh Open in February. A much-awaited match-up ended in anti-climax and a 9-3 loss for Ding.

And there was a 10-3 defeat in the Masters final of 2007 when Ding was left demoralized by his opponent's dominance and a raucous and partisan crowd at Wembley Arena. He finished the match in tears, consoled by O'Sullivan.

He is made of sterner stuff these days and all those who have closely followed his career have noticed something different about him in the past 12 months.

Where once there was shyness, introversion and a general demeanor that suggested he carried the world or at least China on his shoulders, Ding has blossomed into a more confident, friendly, relaxed and popular member of the tour, allowing his talent to shine through.

Now based in Sheffield and a short taxi ride away from the venue of his dreams, Ding has also shrugged off the pressure of being a talisman and trailblazer for a whole nation to win during the current campaign three times on home soil in China, where the spotlight is at its fiercest.

Ding, who was to start his title bid on April 20, said: "Some people think I am the favorite to win at the Crucible this year, but things can go wrong, and there is no guarantee I will even make it to the semi-final, or that Ronnie O'Sullivan will be there if I do. You cannot afford to take any opponent lightly.

"They are the longest matches of the season, and that give you a chance to recover. You haven't lost at 4-2 down; you have the time. If you have a bad spell of a few frames or a session you can still get back, and that may favor the top players.

"But I hope to do well, and I will go there with some confidence. I have felt very relaxed this season and really enjoyed my snooker, and I would like to carry that same attitude into the world championship.

"I think Ronnie is the favorite to win the title; he is always the favorite if he is playing. He has also had a good season. He hasn't played much but when he has he has often won the title or been in the final.

"There is the chance we could meet in the semi-final, and I did not play well against him in the final of the Welsh Open. It was a big test. I had played so well all season. I met him in a big final and I failed the test. The next time I play him I expect to play better."

Ding says he believes in fate.

"If it is your time to win, then that is your time. When the title is meant to be yours, then it will be yours, and you can't worry too much about it."

Hendry has said: "There are only three players I enjoy watching because they play snooker the way it should be played Ding, O'Sullivan and John Higgins. They always play the right shot; it is the shot I would have played."

Ding's success has brought him financial rewards thought to be in the region of 1 million pounds ($1.7 million; 1.2 million euros) a year, and coverage of his feats by the sports channel CCTV5 in China has helped fuel a boom in interest in the game in the country.

Thanks to that and efforts of the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association, a new wave of Chinese players is coming through, spearheaded by Lyu Haotian, 16.

China Daily

(China Daily European Weekly 04/18/2014 page24)