Ding racking up new wave of fans

China is set to play a dominant role in world snooker, according to some of the sport's top officials as they reacted to Ding Junhui's best-ever performance by an Asian player in a world title event.

Ding, 29, who moved to the UK at the age of 15 to pursue his snooker dream, this week narrowly missed unseating Mark Selby from his global No 1 spot in a gripping final of the World Championship at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre.

It was another landmark in a career in which Ding has served as his country's standard-bearer in a sport that is undergoing rapid growth in interest and participation.