Ding Junhui of China celebrates after the semifinal match against Alan McManus of Scotland at the World Snooker Championship 2016 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England on April 30, 2016.
Advertisement
Ding Junhui made headway into Mark Selby’s overnight advantage of three frames, heading in at the mid-session interval just one behind, at 11-10.
Selby’s first world title victory against O’Sullivan in 2014 was the same year in which Leicester were promoted to the top flight from the Championship.
The 29-year-old’s hopes were badly hit after falling 6-0 behind in the first session of four Sunday afternoon.
“He played fantastically earlier today and I had to just hang on to him”. It may be hard for the audience understand the pressure on me, but I could feel it.
“The tournament hasn’t finished yet, it’s still going on and the last match starts tomorrow at two o’clock, so I want to stay focused”.
“I’m a bit disappointed I didn’t take all my chances because I felt good and I thought I was really going to give him a game”, said McManus.
Selby had been desperate to make is a silverware double with his beloved Leicester City over the Bank Holiday weekend.
“He’s had his struggles with playing here and not liking the venue so much, but now he’s got used to it and gained the confidence and momentum, he believes now that he can win this championship”.
Ding Junhui reached his first Betfred World Championship final in record-setting style but insisted there would be no celebrations until he gets his hands on the trophy.
Selby claimed the early lead but will be left kicking himself after missing several good opportunities after the opening session of this World Championship semi-final against Hong Kong’s Fu.
The pedestrian pace rankled with some spectators and television viewers, and seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry was as critical as anyone, writing on Twitter: “5 and a half hours for 9 frames, what the crap??!”
Ding’s seventh century break of the semi-final saw him surpass the previous record of most centuries in a Crucible match (six) held jointly by Selby and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
“Even at 14-10 down I still fancied it big time because it sounds like a big lead but if you forget the actual numbers and win the mini-sessions 3-1 and 3-1 then it’s 16-16 which isn’t beyond the realms of possibility”, said McManus.
Advertisement
“I can’t believe I’m sitting here the victor”, said Selby after Saturday night’s semi-final win. It could have been worse for Ding, who at one stage trailed 6-0. “Not many players can get in the final”. When he was eight years old he took “Little Ding” with him to a local snooker hall and, when his father went to the toilet, he returned to find his baby-faced son had taken over his cue and won the match for him.
