Chinese prodigy Ding on song with maximum 147
LONDON: China's Ding Junhui hit the first maximum break of 147 seen at Wembley in 23 years on Sunday as he got the British Masters off to a sensational start.
Canada's Kirk Stevens was the only previous maximum man in the event which came against Jimmy White in 1984.
Ding, whose previous high break was 141, potted 15 reds with blacks and cleared the colours in the seventh frame of his match with Anthony Hamilton at Wembley Arena.
That put him 5-2 ahead and he went on to win it 6-3 to set up a match with England's Peter Ebdon.
"I'm feeling really special to be the second player to make a maximum in this event," said Ding.
"I was feeling nervous when I got to the last red to a middle pocket, and also on the final black."
As for his match with Ebdon, who beat him at last month's UK Championship, Ding added: "I am delighted to be playing Peter again and I hope we can give the audience a very good game."
The Chinese star was rarely out of position as he closed in on the magic maximum, though he did have to pot the 14th red with side to hold postion for the black.
The 19-year-old was a picture of calm as he cooly slotted home the last few balls then punched the air in celebration.
Ding will take home the $19,600 high break prize plus a $49,000 bonus - providing another player does not match his achievement in which case the cash will be shared.
It's the 55th maximum in snooker history and the second of the season following Jamie Cope's in Aberdeen.
It's the first 147 by a Chinese player and the fifth by an Asian player (James Wattana has had three and Marco Fu one).
Hamilton was full of praise for his Chinese opponent.
"He's a great player and he played very well. He makes so many maximums in practice, he probably can't believe it took him until 19 to make one," he said.
Meanwhile, Jimmy White hinted his time at the top level could well be over after slipping to a 6-1 defeat to Welshman Matthew Stevens.
His defeat typified a miserable and "frustrating" season, one which has seen the man known as The Whirlwind fall out of the top 32 for the first time in his 26-year career.
And the 44-year-old left-hander, who was looking to impress in front of his home supporters at the newly refurbished Wembley Arena, admitted for the first time that retirement could soon beckon.
"I'll keep punching. If I'm going to retire and go off this tour, then I'm going to give it my best shot to make a mark," said White.
"I'm 56th in the rankings, and I have to win at the China Open to qualify for the World Championships, or I'm definitely out of the top 64."
AFP
(China Daily 01/16/2007 page24)
