Chinese star Ding Junhui was trailing England’s fast-rising Judd Trump 5-3 after the first session of their best-of-33 frames world snooker championship semi-final on Thursday.
Ding, the first Chinese player to reach the last four in Sheffield, had got off to a superb start, putting together a break of 102 to go 1-0 up, but 21-year-old Trump, an 80-1 outsider prior to the tournament, leveled with a century break of his own.
GIANTKILLER
Trump — who ousted last year’s champion Neil Robertson in the first round — then built up a 3-1 lead and although Ding fought back to win the next two frames, the Englishman took the last frame of the session to hold a narrow overnight lead.
However, Trump, who signaled he could be a dark horse in the championships when he won the China Open, said he feared 24-year-old Ding — ranked No. 4 in the world — was a very dangerous customer.
“I think he’s starting to play his best now,” said Trump, who is competing at the world championship for only the second time.
“He’s never really played that well at the Crucible up until this year, but I still think he’s got a lot to give in the tournament,” Trump said.
“He could easily run away with it if he starts to play well,” added Trump, who has soared to No. 14 in the world rankings for next season.
CELTIC BATTLE
The other semi-final saw two-time champion Mark Williams of Wales lead Scotland’s triple world champion John Higgins 5-3 at the end of their first session.
Higgins, who will be replaced as world No. 1 for next season by 36-year-old Williams whatever the outcome of the match, put together the only two century breaks of the opening session of 135 and 120, but the Welshman played the more solidly to hold a deserved lead.
NO EASIER
For Higgins, who was at the nadir of his fortunes this time last year when he was provisionally suspended over match-fixing allegations of which he was later cleared, the whole experience is not getting any easier.
“It’s [the championship] a test of everything,” Higgins said.
“It’s a test of whether you can get your sleep at night. Your whole nervous system is in meltdown for 17 days, it’s just how you handle it,” he said. “Experience only gets you so far, you’ve got to have the ability to go with it. You look at Judd Trump, who’s got no experience here, and he is blitzing everyone.”
The final begins tomorrow.
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