Ding's star shines ever brighter
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-05 06:39

Stephen Hendry was 21 when he won his first world title.

Ding created his own history in 2002 with an unprecedented hat-trick of titles. Aged 15, he won both the Asian under-21 and senior titles, as well as the world under-21 championships.

But Davis warned against Ding being thrust forward as the answer to reviving a sport which has been hit by the banning of tobacco sponsorship.

"We've been trying for ages to expand the sport and while it may be popular in China, there's still no real money being thrown at the game there from a sponsorship point of view," said the 48-year-old.

"I'm sure you'll get a slow trickle of great players from China who will come over to play in the UK.

"But I don't think we should be jumping up and down and saying the game is going to explode in the Far East because I don't think it will. If they ever put some money into it then perhaps we can say it's been a success story."