Ding Junhui of China clinched his 15th ranking title by defeating England's Chris Wakelin with a score of 10-7 in the World Snooker Tour (WST) International Championship final held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. This victory marks Ding's first ranking title win in nearly five years, resonating deeply with his home audience.
The match witnessed a thrilling comeback as Ding overcame a 4-1 deficit in the afternoon session. In the night session, he surged ahead with four consecutive frame wins, taking a 5-4 lead. Ding maintained his momentum by capitalizing on Wakelin's missed black, securing the 10th frame at 66 and extending his lead to 6-4.
Despite Wakelin's impressive runs of 82 and 89, keeping the score tight at 7-6 before the mid-session break, Ding proved unstoppable. Resuming with determination, he won three of the next four frames, boasting breaks of 98, 72, and 64, ultimately sealing the victory and lifting the title for the first time on home soil since 2017.
Reflecting on his win, Ding expressed his gratitude and the significance of the victory in his home country. \"Winning in China feels like a home victory,\" he said. \"The support I get here is incredible. Players have to stay focused on the match, but external support also helps. It's been tough, not only for me but for the fans too. I'm glad we all made it through together. The setup in Nanjing, like transportation and facilities, was excellent.\"
Ding also acknowledged the challenges faced during the match. \"I've played so well in every match. Chris applied a lot of pressure in this game, especially at 4-1. I put too much pressure on myself at the beginning. That was the perfect start for him, but he started missing and there were some key frames to get 5-4 ahead. The second session was totally different,\" he added.
Reference(s):
Ding Junhui beats Chris Wakelin to win WST International Championship
cgtn.com
