DING ACCEPTS SEMIS LOSS AFTER LONG BREAK

Ding Junhui expressed a mixture of emotions on Chinese social media site Weibo immediately following his defeat to Stuart Bingham in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals. The 27-year-old has of course for the most part dealt much better with the pressures of playing at home in the last 18 months, but he was off the pace against Bingham for most of the contest.

Ding said: “I was angry with myself during the match and tried to calm down, but it was difficult. But overall I accept the performance and what I have done at this tournament, and am not too disappointed about going out in the semi-finals. I lost, but no one died. It has been three months since I picked up a cue, I have been on holiday and done other things. It is now time to get into the season properly.”

Photograph by Monique Limbos

DING AND LIANG SUN IT IN THE SEYCHELLES

When Liang Wenbo first looked as if he might mount a serious challenge to Ding Junhui as China’s No1, there was the odd story floating around that the main man’s nose had been put out of joint by the new threat, and that there was some tension between the pair.

This notion peaked with a ‘Great War of China’ headline in a red-top newspaper – but the truth was that the rivalry, though real, was very much of a sporting kind only, and off table the pair were good friends and enjoyed each other’s company.

If any further confirmation of that were needed there were plenty of OK-style photo spreads in a couple of the Chinese snooker magazines in Shanghai of Liang, Ding, their wives and other family and friends on holiday together in August on the paradise island of Mahe in the Seychelles.

Photograph by Monique Limbos

ALL ROADS LEAD TO DING

It is only really possible to understand the extent to which Ding Junhui dominates the agenda in China once you have witnessed it for yourself at first hand.

The players all know this, and for the most part tolerate the situation with a raised eyebrow and good humour. After all, it can be similar back home with Ronnie O’Sullivan.

The phenomenon often manifests itself in awkward exchanges in press conferences, particularly when a disappointed player has lost and is therefore less keen to shoot the breeze about Ding then they might be had they won.

Judd Trump was asked earlier in the week what he had made of Ding’s match against Jack Lisowski, when had been playing in his own match at the same time. And all Shaun Murphy’s ambassadorial qualities were tested on Thursday following his defeat to Graeme Dott in the post-match exchanges.

With Dott in the same section as Ding – who played later that evening against Martin Gould – Murphy was asked how Dott would do against Ding in the quarter-finals. “Well, Ding has to win tonight first, doesn’t he?” said the former world champion. “Do you think Martin has no chance against Ding? You’re asking will Ding beat Martin and Graeme Dott? Graeme is a former world champion and Ding is not, so even if he gets through the last-16 match he will have a very, very difficult match on his hands. But he has to win tonight first anyway.”

Photograph by Monique Limbos

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR DING SENIOR

There was plenty of disappointment for Ding Junhui over his first-round exit to Michael Wasley at the Dafabet World Championship…and disappointment also for father Ding Wenjun.

Ding senior had come over to Sheffield to watch his son for the very first time in action at the Crucible, and watched from the media centre with everything crossed that the man of the season could replicate that form on the biggest stage – but again Ding junior came up short.

Back home in Yixing his father produces and sells clay tea-pots as well as being involved with the powerful Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association on the coaching front. With CBSA officials present in Sheffield, there was business to be done returning to China.

WASLEY AND DING HAULED OFF

BEING hauled off at a crucial stage of any match, let alone your Crucible debut, is tough to take and Michael Wasley appeared extremely reluctant to leave the arena at around 6.30pm trailing Ding Junhui 9-8 in their first-round Dafabet World Championship clash.

But there were no histrionics as referee Terry Camilleri explained the unfortunate situation to a qualifier who had quite simply not been in that position before on the biggest stage.

Wasley had of course done himself proud by hauling himself level at 8-8 from 6-3 down over night before losing the 17th frame and dropping one behind with two to play.

Ding had looked ill at ease for much of the match, not the relaxed figure of all season and lending weight to the view that the venue does get to him. There were frustrated gestures in the arena, and door-banging in the corridor during toilet breaks.

In such situations, though, it is not just the players who are inconvenienced. Bear in mind that some fans had bought tickets to see the conclusion of this match, with many Chinese supporters in the audience supporting Ding.

They were not entitled to see the finale late on Monday night, with that conclusion tagged on the end for those holding evening session tickets.

And it did not stop there, with even players’ guests concerned about getting back in to see the end of the match, but some understanding from the retinues of those playing from 7pm to swiftly vacate their seats and allow others back in solved that mini-crisis.