Birthday boy Ding praised by sponsors and fans

BEIJING - Ding Junhui received another financial boost on Tuesday when he collected a 200,000 yuan ($29,300) cheque from Gan Lianfang, president of the Beijing Xing Pai Group, for his second-place finish at the China Open last week and his world No 1 singles ranking for the 2009-2010 season.

After winning the UK Championship last December - beating world champion John Higgins 10-8 after a hard-fought final, Ding reached the final of the China Open before eventually going down 10-6 to former world No 1 Mark Williams. Ding thus was ranked No 1 in the world for the 2009-2010 season.

Also receiving monetary rewards were Tian Pengfei, who shocked Ronnie O'Sullivan, 5-3, in the first round of China Open last week, Liu Shasha, who at 16 became the youngest world 9-ball World Championship winner by defeating 40-year-old Karen Corr of Britain last November, and Asian champion Fu Xiaofang.